LIBEAEY 

OF  Tin: 

Theological    Seminary, 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 

^X  9225  .A8  A3  1878 
Arnot,  William,  1808-1875. 
'   Autobiography  of  the  Rev. 
William  Arnot .  And  Memoir 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    AND    MEMOIR 

OF   THE 

REV.    WILLIAM     ARNOT. 


NOTICES    OF    THE    BRITISH     PRESS. 

i;  The  work  before  us  is  one  of  uncommon  merit,  a  book  to  revel  in.  a  true  and 
beautiful,  a  stimulating  yet  reproving,  record  of  a  life  of  rare  honesty,  beauty,  and 
utility.  .  .  .  The  reminiscences  of  childhood  and  youth  are  racy  and  manly."  — 
Weekly  Review. 

"This  volume  opens  with  an  autobiographical  chapter,  written  in  the  natural, 
open-hearted  style  familiar  to  the  readers  of  the  late  Mr.  Arnot's  books.  The 
opening  sentences  have  the  ring  of  his  true,  manly  voice. 

"  Everywhere  we  are  brought  face  to  face  with  his  tender,  almost  womanly, 
affectionateness,  his  childlike,  transparent  simplicity,  his  large-hearted  catholicity  of 
sympathy,  his  fresh,  irrepressible  love  of  nature,  and  his  singularly  exquisite  com- 
bination of  modesty  and  self-respect.  This  Memoir  goes  very  far  indeed  to  con- 
firm us  in  a  long-cherished  opinion,  that  Mr.  Arnot  was,  from  the  view  point  of  a 
healthy,  rounded  human-ness,  first  among  the  Free  Church  leaders."  —  Glasgow 
Herald. 

"  Love  Amot !  who  would  not  love  Arnot?"  was  the  ardent  exclamation  of 
dying  Dr.  Candlish  :  and  it  is  a  sentiment  which  finds  a  response  in  all  who  knew 
the  subject  of  the  present  Memoir. 

"We  have  here  the  life  of  one  who  had  not  only  great  gifts,  but  many  graces. 
And  it  is  in  the  simple  and  faithful  exposition  of  such  a  life  that  this  biography  has 
its  value  and  its  charm."  —  Dundee  Advertiser. 

'•So  judicious  have  been  the  selections  of  materials  that  there  is  not  a  single 
letter  in  the  whole  Memoir  that  one  would  wish  to  have  left  out ;  while  all  that  this 
world  is  entitled  to  know,  whether  of  the  inner  or  outer  life,  of  a  singularly  pure, 
simple,  truthful  man,  has  been  fairly  and  in  a  remarkably  interesting  shape  placed 
before  the  reader."  —  Scotsman. 

•■  We  could  have  wished  that  the  charming  autobiography  which  occupies  the 
first  eighty  pages  of  the  book  had  been  extended  so  as  to  include  Mr.  Arnot's  riper 
years ;  but,  in  the  absence  of  this,  the  Memoir  edited  by  his  daughter  well  supplies 
the  blank."  —  The  Christian. 


ROBERT   CARTER    AND    BROTHERS, 
New   York. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY   AND    MEMOIR 


OF   THE 


REV.     WILLIAM     ARNOT, 


' 


( 


r/ 


Autobiography 


OF   THE 


REV.    WILLIAM    ARNOT, 


MINISTER   OF   FREE   ST.    PETER'S   CHURCH,    GLASGOW,    AND    AFTERWARDS 
OF   THE    FREE    HIGH   CHURCH,    EDINBURGH. 


AND 

MEMOIR 

By  HIS    DAUGHTER,  MRS.  A.  FLEMING. 


NEW    YORK: 
ROBERT    CARTER   AND    BROTHERS, 

530  Broadway. 
1878. 


PREFACE. 


FN  submitting  this  volume  to  the  public,  a  word  of 
apology  seems  necessary  for  such  a  task  having 
been  attempted  by  inexperienced  hands.  I  can  only 
say  that  I  undertook  it  at  the  request  of  my  family, 
and  with  the  feeling  that,  to  counterbalance  in  some 
measure  the  lack  of  ability,  there  were  open  to  me 
materials  from  which  to  select,  as  well  as  sources  of 
information  and  assistance,  which  could  not  so  easily, 
nor  to  the  same  extent,  have  been  placed  at  the  dis- 
posal of  a  comparative  stranger. 

The  book  will  be  found  to  be,  not  so  much  a 
biography  of  my  father,  as  a  series  of  extracts  from 
his  journals  and  letters,  chosen  and  arranged  so  as 
to  give,  in  his  own  words,  as  complete  a  picture 
as  possible  of  his  life  and  work  from  year  to  year ; 


iv  PREFACE. 

and  I  venture  to  hope,  that  it  may  be  recognised 
by  those  who  knew  and  loved  him,  as  a  faithful 
portrait,  and  an  acceptable  memorial  of  one  who  is 
gone  from  our  midst. 

I  have  here  also  to  acknowledge  the  kindness  of 
those  friends  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  assistance 
and  advice. 

Beyond  the  members  of  my  own  family,  thanks 
are  specially  due  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  W.  C.  Smith  and 
Professor  Blaikie,  both  of  whom  kindly  perused  the 
manuscript,  and  to  my  father's  early  friend  and 
fellow-student,  the  Rev.  John  Mackail,  who  sup- 
plied valuable  letters  and  information. 

M.  F. 

Edinburgh,  May  1877. 


CONTENTS. 


Autobiography, 


CHAPTER    I. 


Early  Days — Leaves  Home — College  Life — Friendships — Sabbath 
School  Work — Money  Matters— Public  Meeting — Leaving 
College — Licensed — Larbert, 83 


CHAPTER    II. 

Call  to   Glasgow — Ordination — Serious    Illness — Becovery — Work 

— Encouragement — Strathbogie — Call  to  Ratho — Convocation,  121 


CHAPTER    III. 

Memoir  of  Halley — Mission  to  Orkney  and  Shetland — Marriage — 
Appointment  to  Montreal — Crossing  the  Atlantic — Pastoral 
Letters — Return  Home — "  Montreal  Witness,"     .         .         -     159 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Call  to  Lerwick  —First  Visit  to  London  —Call  to  Toronto — Congre- 
gational Work — Birth  of  a  Daughter— Call  to  London — First 
Tract — Ireland  during  the  Famine — Mission  Work  at  Home — 
Various  Calls — Death  of  a  Sister — Alarm  of  Cholera — Sab- 
bath Schools, 195 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    V. 

PAGE 

Ejected  from  Parish  Church — Toast  Drinking  at  Ordination  Dinners 
—  Free  Church  Total  Abstinence  Society— New  Churoh 
Opened — Young  Men's  Society— "The  Pace  for  Biches  " — 
"  The  Foe  and  the  Fight  " — Children — Death  of  Dr.  Gordon 
— Death  of  a  Sister — "The  Voyage  of  Life" — Work  at 
Lanark, 247 


CHAPTER     VI. 

Literature  —Letters — Temperance  Work— Holiday  Employments 
— "  Illustrations  of  the  Proverbs" — First  Journey  on  the  Con- 
tinent— Alliance  Meetings  at  Berlin, 293 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Second  Volume  of  the  Proverbs — New  House  — Reading — Hos- 
pitality— Twenty  Years'  Ministry  Completed — Encouragement 
—  Children's  Churches — Lecture  in  Exeter  Hall— Alliance 
Meetings  in  Belfast — "  Roots  and  Fruits,"  .     333 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

Tour  in  Switzerland — Degree  of  D.D. — Revival — Sowing  by  the 
Wayside — Call  to  Kolvinside — Acceptance  of  Call  to  Edin- 
burgh,    365 


CHAPTER    IX. 

Work  in  Edinburgh — German  Studies — Translations — Paraphrases 
— Union — Deaths— Paris  Exhibition — Preaching  at  Baden — 
New  House — Call  to  Regent  Square — Memoir  of  Hamilton,        394 


CHAPTER    X. 

America — Voyage— New  York — Washington  and  Richmond — 
Gettysburg — American  Assembly — Pittsburgh  and  Chicago — 
Canadian  Assembly — Montreal — Return — "  Family  Treasury,"  429 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    XL 

PAGE 

Third  Visit  to  America — Pacific  Railway— Alliance  Meetings  in 
New  York — Death  of  Dr.  Candli.sh — Moody  and  Sankey — 
Changed  Method  of  Preaching — Short-Sightedness— Last 
Letters, 455 


CHAPTER    XII. 

Request  for  a  Colleague — Last  Communion — Aberdeen  Conference 
— Address  at  Noon  Prayer  Meeting — Closing  Hours  —Death 
.  —Funeral, 482 


APPENDIX. 

Extracts  from  Sermons  preached  in  the  Free  High  Church,  Edin- 
burgh, on  occasion  of  the  Death  of  the  Rev.  William  Arnot, 
Minister  of  the  Congregation — 

1.  By  Rev.  Principal  Rainy,  D.D 499 

2.  By  Rev.  Professor  Blaikie,  D.D. 507 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 


I  INTEND  to  write  a  Memoir  of  my  own  life,  and 
I  have  a  few  things  to  say  by  way  of  preface. 
I  am  not  deterred  from  carrying  my  design  into 
effect  by  the  fear  of  being  or  seeming  egotistical. 
By  writing  an  account  of  my  own  life,  I  do  not 
pronounce  upon  its  comparative  importance.  I  be- 
lieve there  is  a  spice  of  egotism  in  my  disposition, 
as  in  that  of  most  men  ;  but  that  question  is  not 
now  before  me.  It  is  irrelevant  here.  With  a  view 
to  my  immediate  object,  the  only  questions  that 
require  to  be  settled  are  :  Have  I  lived  ?  and,  Can  I 
write  a  truthful  account  of  my  experience  ?  My  life 
may  be  unimportant,  comparatively  or  absolutely ; 
but  a  faithful  record  of  facts  is  never  unimportant. 
It  would  be  presumption  and  not  modesty  in  me 
if  I  should  say,  My  life  is  of  no  consequence  to 
others ;  I  shall  hide  its  history  in  my  grave.  This 
would  be  the  judgment  of  ignorance  and  incapacity. 
It  is  like  the  act  of  an  ignorant  quarrier,  who  throws 
away  a  fossil  because  it  has  been  found  in  the  stones 
among  which  his  daily  labour  lies.  Nay,  friend ;  it 
may  be  of  great  or  of  small  value,  but  you  are  not 

A 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 


the  judge  of  its  worth.  Hand  it  over  to  the  geolo- 
gist. The  examination  of  it  will  be  useful  to  him, 
whether  he  ultimately  lay  it  up  in  his  cabinet  or  cast 
it  away.  It  is  the  faithful  record  of  a  fact,  and  that 
is  more  precious  to  a  philosopher  than  gold  or  gems. 

From  the  fact  of  writing  this  history,  therefore, 
I  am  to  be  held  as  having  formed  a  high  opinion, 
not  of  myself,  but  of  the  value  of  truthful  and  lifelike 
records  of  the  outgoings  and  incomings  of  a  living 
man,  whether  he  in  his  lifetime  were  great  or  small. 
The  question,  then,  of  undertaking  or  not  under- 
taking this  history,  depends  not  on  the  style  of 
creature  to  be  delineated,  but  on  the  style  of  the 
delineation.  The  question  is  not  how  great  a  man 
I  have  to  write  about,  but  how  great  are  my  facul- 
ties for  giving  a  correct  representation  of  the  man 
I  have.  I  decide  that  question  in  favour  of  the 
undertaking.  I  think  many  circumstances  conspire 
to  put  me  in  a  favourable  position  for  describing 
the  creature's  haunts  and  habits.  The  only  one  of 
these  circumstances  which  I  am  inclined  to  men- 
tion here  is,  that,  looking  to  second  causes,  and 
speaking  after  the  manner  of  men,  I  have  all  along 
been  left  in  a  great  measure  to  feel  my  own  weight 
and  work  my  own  way. 

I  may,  perhaps,  not  always  speak  of  God's  hand 
in  this  history,  even  when  narrating  an  event  in 
which  His  hand  is  manifestly  displayed.  Some  parts 
of  the  record  may  be  like  the  book  of  Esther — a 
detail  of  His  wondrous  work,  without  the  mention  of 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 


His  holy  name  ;  but  I  desire,  from  first  to  last,  to 
trace  every  gift  up  to  His  free  mercy,  and  to  turn 
every  event  to  His  praise. 

I  am  not  able  to  trace  the  genealogy  of  our 
family  far  into  the  past.  My  parents  and  ancestors, 
as  far  back  as  they  are  known  to  me,  had  all  a  good 
name,  but  none  of  them  had  a  great  name.  On 
the  paternal  side,  my  father  was  the  oldest  son  of 
George  Arnot  and  Mary  Stewart.  George  Arnot,  of 
whose  parentage  I  know  nothing,  was  a  farmer  at 
Ardargie,  in  the  parish  of  Forgandenny,  on  the 
northern  slope  of  the  Ochil  hills.  That  which  is 
now  one  large  farm,  cultivated  in  the  modern  style, 
was  occupied  by  several  tenants,  who  all,  with  their 
cottars,  resided  at  the  toxin  of  Ardargie,  giving  the 
farm-steading  some  right  to  its  ambitious  appella- 
tion. The  land  was  not  divided  among  the  cultiva- 
tors in  defined  portions,  one  on  the  east  and  another 
on  the  west,  but  in  single  ridges,  each  having  a 
portion  of  every  field.  This  method  of  division 
effectually  checked  any  disposition  that  might  have 
existed  to  introduce  an  improved  cultivation.  My 
grandfather  was  an  honoured  Christian  patriarch ; 
but  it  is  probable  that  his  skill  in  farming  was  not 
great,  even  although  there  had  been  an  opportunity 
of  exerting  it.  At  all  events,  he  did  not  make 
money,  and  in  process  of  time  he  was  obliged  to 
retire  from  the  farm,  and  spend  the  evening  of  his 
days  in  a  cottage  in  the  village  of  Forgandenny. 
He  was  an  elder  in  the  parish  church.     I  remember 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 


only  one  anecdote  of  those  told  of  him  by  my  father, 
which  is  characteristic  so  far  as  it  goes.  Early  on 
a  Sabbath  morning,  he  was  standing  inside  the  dyke 
of  his  kail-yard,  when  a  woman  from  a  neighbouring 
clachan  passed  by,  with  her  shoes  in  her  hand  and 
her  petticoats  tucked  up,  intent  upon  a  lengthened 
journey.  She  accosted  him  as  she  passed,  asking, 
in  a  tone  of  surprise,  if  he  was  not  going  to  the 
Sawcrament  at  such  a  place,  naming  a  distant  parish. 
"  I'm  ga'en  to  our  ain  kirk,"  he  replied ;  quietly 
adding,  "  My  religion  does  not  lie  in  my  heels." 
The  remark  seems  severe,  as  it  is  well  known  that 
the  best  of  Scottish  Christians  in  those  days  tra- 
velled often  and  far,  in  order  to  be  present  at  the 
dispensation  of  the  Lord's  Supper  in  different  places; 
but  it  is  probable  that  old  George  knew  the  person 
he  had  to  deal  with,  and  that  he  was  not  far  mis- 
taken as  to  the  habitat  of  the  honest  woman's 
religion.  My  oldest  sister  informs  me  that  she  has 
a  distinct  recollection  of  having  seen  him  once.  It 
seems  he  had  paid  a  visit  to  my  father  when  he 
resided  near  Scone.  My  sister  was  a  little  girl,  per- 
haps five  or  six  years  of  age.  She  was  playing  near 
the  house  when  she  saw  him  coming.  She  did  not 
Avait  his  approach,  but  ran  in  considerable  alarm  to 
tell  her  mother  that  a  man  was  coming,  different 
from  any  man  she  had  ever  seen  before.  She  de- 
scribes him  as  a  very  tall  old  man,  wearing  a  broad 
blue  bonnet,  and  very  long  white  hair  hanging  from 
beneath  it  over  his  shoulders.      He  carried  a  staff 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 


almost  as  long  as  himself,  which  he  grasped  in  the 
middle,  at  a  height  that  suited  him,  and  leant  upon 
it  as  he  walked.  The  impression  of  his  appearance 
remains  in  clearest  outline  upon  her  memory  to  this 
day.  From  scattered  notices  by  other  relatives,  and 
certain  old  inhabitants  of  the  village  who  knew  him, 
I  gather  that  my  grandfather  was  a  man  of  most 
upright  character,  of  few  words,  of  simple  unassum- 
ing manners,  and  real  but  modest  retiring  piety. 
On  the  day  of  his  removal  from  Ardargie,  when  his 
family  were  preparing  in  sadness  to  depart  from 
their  home,  some  neighbour  made  a  sympathizing 
remark  to  him  on  the  changes  that  occur  in  life. 
He  replied,  "  I  am  obliged  to  leave  this  place,  but  I 
have  an  inheritance  that  cannot  be  taken  away."  It 
is  with  gladness  and  gratitude  that  I  record  this 
speech  of  my  venerated  ancestor.  I  think  I  exult 
in  it  more  than  if  I  had  been  called  to  record  that 
he  wallowed  in  wealth  and  was  the  companion  of 
nobles.  It  is  better  to  be  the  "  seed  of  the  right- 
eous "  than  the  seed  of  the  rich. 

Mary  Stewart,  his  wife,  was  the  oldest  daughter 
of  Walter  Stewart,  farmer  at  Gownie,  in  the  Ochils, 
and  at  Summerfield,  near  Dunbarney.  Her  only 
brother  became  minister  of  the  parish  of  Greenlaw.1 

1  I  mentioned  a  few  years  ago  to  Principal  Fairbairn,  Free  Church 
College,  Glasgow,  that  nay  granduncle  Stewart  Was  minister  of  Green- 
law, his  native  parish.  When  I  next  met  him,  he  congratulated  me  on 
having  come  of  a  good  kind,  intimating  that  since  I  told  him  the  fact 
he  had  seen  his  mother,  and  learned  from  her  that  Mr.  Stewart's  minis- 
try, though  short,  was  fruitful,  and  left  a  savour  of  Christ  behind. 


A  UTOBIOCRAPHY. 


My  father  was  Robert,  the  oldest  child  of  the  said 
George  Arnot  and  Mary  Stewart.  He  was  born 
about  the  year  1763,  at  Ardargie,  and  was  educated 
at  a  side  school,  in  a  hamlet  called  the  Path  of 
Condie.  His  education  was  carried  no  further  than 
the  simplest  elements  of  reading  and  writing.  In 
the  declining  state  of  his  fathers  affairs,  he  was 
obliged  to  leave  home  at  an  early  age.  After 
several  years  of  agricultural  occupation  in  Strath- 
earn,  he  was  employed  by  his  uncle,  Mr.  Cook,  of 
Scone,  to  manage  a  farm  for  him  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, called  New  Mains.  He  married  some  time 
before  entering  on  this  charge,  probably  in  the  year 
1794.  My  father  lived  at  that  place  for  a  period  of 
about  twelve  years.  There  all  his  seven  children 
were  born,  and  there  my  mother  died.  His  children 
were  Janet,  John,  George,  Mary,  Margaret,  Robert, 
and  William.  Of  these  only  Janet,  Mary,  and  myself 
survive.  .John  and  George  died  in  childhood ;  Mar- 
garet and  Robert  survived  to  maturity. 

My  mother  was  Margaret  Fisher,  daughter  of  John 
Fisher,  farmer,  Lochend,  parish  of  Forgandenny. 
His  family  were  all  decidedly  Christian,  except  the 
oldest  son,  James.  My  mother's  only  sister,  Eliza- 
beth, I  remember  well.  She  lived  much  in  my 
father's  house  during  my  childhood.  She  was  a 
tall,  bent,  and  exceedingly  thin  old  woman.  She 
suffered  much  from  an  asthmatic  cough.  We 
counted  her  over-strict  and  peevish.  But  I  remem- 
ber still  a  smile  of  inexpressible  sweetness  that  was 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 


wont  to  play  upon  that  wan  countenance  when  she 
succeeded  in  overcoming  our  boisterous  neglect, 
and  obtained  from  the  boys  a  patient  hearing  for 
some  of  her  counsels.  She  was  a  guileless  Chris- 
tian. It  was  good  for  me  that  in  impatient  child- 
hood the  saint  was  set  before  me  in  the  person  of 
such  a  single-eyed  specimen,  however  trouble- 
some to  my  vain  heart  the  rebuke  administered 
by  her  holy  life  might  be.  It  was  true,  and  I  felt 
its  truth. 

From  all  that  I  can  learn  of  my  mother,  who  died 
when  I  was  born,  I  gather  that  she  lived  by  faith, 
loved  the  Bible,  walked  with  God.  The  parish 
minister  of  Scone  was  a  thorough  moderate.  My 
father  and  mother  were  both  regular  worshippers  in 
the  Secession  Church,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Jamie- 
eon,  who  still  lives.1  My  mother  was  a  communicant 
also,  but  my  father  still  retained  his  place  in  the 
communion  of  the  Establishment.  The  most  charac- 
teristic note  that  has  reached  me  of  her  habits  is 
this :  when  employed  in  spinning  she  was  wont  to 
have  her  Testament  lyiug  open  upon  the  body  or 
framework  of  the  wheel,  within  sight,  and  would 
catch  a  verse  from  time  to  time  without  interrupting 
her  toil.  "  Diligent  in  business,  fervent  in  spirit, 
serving  the  Lord."  How  I  delight  to  record  this 
feature  of  my  mother's  character.  Verily  I  am  well- 
born, as  things  go  here  on  earth,  if  my  life  were 
worthy  of  my  parentage.     I  believe  I  have  gotten 

1  1850. 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 


blessings  unnumbered  all  my  life  in  answer  to  my 
mother's  prayers.  I  never  saw  my  mother,  but  I 
know  that  such  a  mother  would,  when  her  flesh  and 
heart  were  failing,  cast  her  helpless  infant  on  an 
almighty  arm.  I  know  that  she  would,  with  a  faith 
almost  amounting  to  actual  enjoyment,  as  she  was 
hastening  away,  make  me  over,  soul  and  body,  to 
the  orphan's  help.  Often  do  I  seem  almost  to  hold 
converse  with  my  mother.  It  has  been  very  good 
for  me  that  I  have  grown  up  with  the  conception 
of  my  mother  being  a  glorified  saint.  Her  company 
has  often  awed  me  out  of  evil,  and  encouraged  me 
to  good.  Even  yet  the  thought  of.my  mother's  eyes 
fainting  in  death,  taking  a  last  look  of  me,  her  help- 
less infant,  melts  me  as  nothing  else  is  able  to  do. 
I  was  left  without  a  mother  when  I  was  about  two 
weeks  old.  My  oldest  sister  was  thirteen  years  of 
age.  My  father  found  a  nurse  for  me,  a  certain  Bell 
Pitkeathly,  married  to  James  Smith,  whose  first 
child  had  died  soon  after  its  birth.  Smith  was  a 
labourer.  They  were  poor,  but  honest  respectable 
people.  I  was  taken  to  their  home.  At  first  it  was 
at  Orchard  Neuk.  on  the  side  of  the  Tay,  afterwards 
at  Aberdalgie,  and  latterly  at  Pitheaveless,  in  the 
immediate  neighbourhood  of  Perth.  I  remained 
with  my  nurse  till  I  was  two  years  of  age.  She 
contracted  and  cherished  for  me  all  a  mother's  affec- 
tion. My  memory  retains  very  distinctly  many 
events  of  that  early  period.  For  example,  I  remem- 
ber two  maiden  ladies  named  Mellis,  sisters  of  the 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 


farmer  at  Aberdalgie,  whom  I  frequently,  visited. 
On  one  occasion,  I  marched  into  their  house  without 
taking  the  precaution  of  being  in  full  dress.  The 
sisters  were  together.  One  of  them,  seized  with  a 
fit  of  affection,  went  towards  a  cupboard  for  the 
purpose  of  bringing  sweeties  to  me.  The  other 
objected,  and  held  her  hand,  having  perhaps  some 
other  use  in  prospect  for  the  confections.  A  sort  of 
good-humoured  scuffle  took  place  between  the  two 
sisters.  Meantime,  I  stood  silent  on  the  floor,  in- 
wardly wishing  that  the  heroine  who  had  espoused 
my  cause  might  prove  victor  in  the  strife.  Victory, 
however,  must  have  leant  the  other  way,  for  I  have 
a  distinct  remembrance  of  having  got  no  sweeties. 
My  father,  on  hearing  me  afterwards  tell  the  story, 
took  particular  notice  of  it,  as  an  instance  of  memory 
reaching  far  back  into  infancy.  He  knew,  from  the 
date  of  the  nurse's  removal  from  that  place,  that  I 
could  not  have  been  so  much  as  a  year  and  a  half 
old  when  it  occurred.  Mrs.  Smith  continued  to 
show  a  motherly  affection  for  me  till  her  death,  a 
few  years  ago. 

While  I  was  under  charge  of  my  nurse,  my  father 
had  removed  with  his  family  to  the  Boat  of  F organ, 
on  the  river  Earn,  in  the  parish  of  Forgandenny, 
about  four  miles  from  Perth.  This  I  always  look 
upon  as  my  native  place,  as  I  never  could  take  any 
interest  in  the  spot  where  I  was  born,  but  which  I 
never  knew  as  a  home.  I  must  distinctly  describe 
the  locality.     My  father  lived  in  it  thirty- two  years. 


10  A  UTOBIOGRAPH  V. 

He  did  not  remove  from  it  "  till  he  was  carried 
from  it,"  according  to  the  hope  which  he  often  ex- 
pressed. It  was  the  home  of  my  youth.  No  other 
spot  of  earth  can  be  half  so  dear  to  me.  The  love 
of  it  is  fresh  in  my  bosom  yet,  when  many  other 
emotions  are  fading. 

I  must  describe  the  spot  by  a  feature  which  did 
not  exist  in  those  days  when  I  learned  to  love  it — 
the  Scottish  Central  Railway.  When  the  traveller 
going  northward  has  passed  the  last  station  on  the 
line,  about  four  miles  from  Perth,  let  him  observe  the 
moment  when  the  train  is  crossing  the  Earn.  From 
the  bridge  let  him  look  at  right-angles  to  the  rail- 
way (southward — to  right  hand  with  face  toward 
Perth)  and  down  the  stream.  At  the  distance  of  a 
gunshot  he  will  observe  a  wbite  slated  cottage  on  a 
somewhat  elevated  bank  of  the  river,  with  another 
house  of  equal  size  standing  near — consisting  of 
barn  and  byre — covered  with  red  tiles.  There  are 
three  trees  at  the  west  end  of  the  house,  and  two — 
a  venerable  plane,  and  wide-spreading  ash — at  the 
edge  of  the  garden,  right  behind  the  barn.  Oh!  the 
hum  of  bees  in  the  top  of  that  plane-tree  on  a  sum- 
mer afternoon,  when  its  blossoms  hung  from  every 
twig !  I  think  I  hear  it  now,  and  it  makes  me  weep 
to  think  that  I  shall  never  hear  it  as  I  was  wont  to 
hear  it,  with  the  fresh,  buoyant,  hopeful  bosom  of 
boyhood.  I  should  like  to  sit  beneath  it  again  on  a 
warm  summer  evening,  and  hear  that  hum.  I  do  not 
know  whether  it  would  gladden  my  heart  again,  or 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY.  1 1 

break  it,  but  I  would  like  to  try.  Close  behind  the 
house  the  wooded  avenues  of  Freeland  rau  down  to 
the  water's  edge.  My  father  rented  a  small  farm 
from  Lord  Ruthven,  and  undertook  the  charge  of  a 
ferry-boat,  to  accommodate  a  portion  of  the  country 
folk  who  found  thereby  a  nearer  road  to  Perth.  His 
rent  was  £20  a-year.  He  never  had  a  lease,  and  his 
rent  was  never  changed  during  the  long  period  of 
thirty-two  years :  it  was  always  paid  at  the  time, 
and  no  question  was  asked.  Indeed,  my  father  had 
sense  enough  to  know  that  he  had  a  good  landlord, 
and  Lord  Ruthven  had  sense  enough  to  know  that 
he  had  a  good  tenant :  they  understood  each  other. 
An  instance  of  their  mutual  confidence  deserves  to 
be  recorded,  creditable  alike  to  landlord  and  tenant. 
My  father  had  obtained  authority  verbally  from  his 
lordship  to  execute  some  building,  and  repay  him- 
self by  retaining  his  rents.  Soon  after  this  Lord 
Ruthven  left  home,  and  resided  with  his  family  on 
the  Continent  about  seven  years.  The  building  was 
erected,  and  the  cost  was  £49,  10s.  My  father 
retained  this  sum,  but  as  he  had  no  document,  the 
factor  could  not  give  him  a  discharge.  On  his  lord- 
ship's return,  the  factor  wrote  to  my  father,  stating 
that  this  sum  stood  on  his  book  as  arrear  of  rent, 
and  advising  him  to  get  the  necessary  voucher.  My 
father  carried  the  factor's  letter  to  Lord  Ruthven, 
and  received  one  in  reply.  On  presenting  his  lord- 
ship's letter  to  the  man  of  law,  my  father  observed 
him  smiling  as  he  read,  and  asked  the  cause  of  his 


1 2  A  UTOBIO  GRA  PH  V. 

merriment.  Whereupon  he  read  aloud  the  contents 
of  the  letter,  which  were  as  follows : — "  I  believe 
whatever  this  man  says." 

From  the  time  that  I  was  four  years  of  age,  my 
memory  retains  a  connected  and  continuous  record. 
That  was  like  the  era  which  divides  the  fabulous 
from  the  authentic  history  of  a  nation.  The  earlier 
period  consists  of  vivid  but  unconnected  pictures, 
partaking  very  much  of  the  character  of  the  myth. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  chronicle  events  that  are 
merely  infantile,  although  well  authenticated.  The 
first  important  fact  which  I  remember  in  my  own 
history  is  my  entering  the  school.  The  village  where 
the  church  and  school  are  situated,  lies  about  a  mile 
from  my  father's  house.  I  went  in  company  with 
my  sister  Margaret  and  my  brother.  I  must  have 
been  about  five  years  of  age.  On  the  way,  they 
asked  me  whether  I  would  like  to  sit  beside  my 
brother  or  my  sister.  I  declared  without  hesitation 
for  my  sister's  company,  whereupon  they  began  with 
one  accord  to  persuade  me  that  I  would  be  better 
among  the  boys.  They  had  promised  me  more  than 
they  could  perform,  and  endeavoured  to  extort  from 
me  a  declaration  of  preference  for  the  place  which 
they  knew  I  would  be  obliged  to  occupy.  I  sub- 
mitted, but  I  was  not  convinced. 

When  we  reached  the  door  of  the  school,  there 
were  two  stone  steps  outside  leading  to  the  floor, 
a  little  elevated  above  the  level  of  the  road.  Stand- 
ing on  the  street,  when  the  door  was  opened,  my 


A  UTOBIOGRA  PH  Y.  1 3 

eye  caught  a  view  of  the  space  between  the  benches 
and  the  ground,  along  the  whole  extent  of  the 
schoolroom.  The  feature  of  the  novel  landscape 
that  arrested  me  was  the  rows  of  dangling  feet 
and  legs,  whose  owners  were  seated  at  the  tables 
above,  and  not  so  directly  in  my  view.  So  many 
legs,  and  such  regular  rows  I  had  never  seen,  and 
never  expected  to  see.  I  was  soon  introduced  to 
the  master  and  the  alphabet.  I  had  the  credit  of 
being  a  good  scholar  from  the  very  commencement. 

Mr.  Low  was  the  teacher's  name.  He  was  an 
elderly  man,  lame  in  body,  and  of  a  most  inoffensive 
and  gentle  disposition.  His  character  penetrated 
right  through  the  childlike,  and  stuck  fast  in  the 
childish.  He  was,  however,  a  conscientious,  good, 
Christian  man,  of  a  most  unblemished  reputation. 
He  had  a  wife,  a  son,  and  three  daughters.  Although 
his  method  of  teaching  was  by  no  means  skilful, 
yet  the  children  all  acquired  the  necessary  elements 
of  education.  Scarcely  any  were  removed  until 
they  could  read  and  write.  A  considerable  number 
learned  the  fundamental  rules  of  arithmetic.  There 
was  the  strictest  attention  to  morality,  and  religion 
had  such  a  place  given  to  it  as  to  leave  a  most 
salutary  impression. 

I  remember  many  incidents  connected  with  the 
building  of  a  new  dwelling-house  about  that  time 
for  the  family.  We  had  been  told  that  workmen 
were  coming  to  build  a  new  house  for  us.  After 
several   days   of  expectation,  the  workmen    at   last 


J  4  A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 


came  in  formidable  array,  with  picks,  spades,  and 
wheelbarrows.  I  ran  to  meet  them — followed  them 
to  the  place,  and  intently  watched  their  proceedings. 
They  began,  and  lo  !  instead  of'  building  a  house, 
they  set  themselves  vigorously  to  dig  a  hole  in  the 
ground.  I  was  amazed,  and  went  to  my  father,  de- 
manding an  explanation  of  such  preposterous  conduct, 
lie  told  me  that  they  were  digging  a  foundation 
for  the  wall.  I  listened,  but  I  did  not  understand 
the  explanation,  and  continued  still  to  wonder  in 
silence  why  they  did  not  at  once  begin  to  lay  the 
stones  in  their  place.  I  remember  old  George  Bruce, 
who  was  the  wright,  suspecting  me  of  making  free 
with  some  of  his  nails.  For  this  he  threatened 
to  give  me  sweeties  ;  but  from  the  ominous  way  in 
which  his  proposal  was  introduced,  I  learned  that 
sweeties  in  George's  nomenclature  meant  ignominious 
stripes.  I  had  a  great  dread  of  the  old  man.  Some- 
where about  this  time,  my  brothers  and  sisters  and 
companions  began  to  persuade  me  that  I  had  been 
enlisted,  and  that  as  soon  as  I  should  grow  up  they 
would  take  me  away  to  be  a  soldier.  The  foundation 
of  this  dangerous  joke  was  this :  Some  soldier,  or 
perhaps  a  yeoman,  going  to  Perth  for  drill,  took  me 
up  in  his  arms  and  gave  me  a  shilling,  when  I  was 
yet  an  infant.  It  was  afterwards  represented,  as  I 
thought  seriously,  that  I  was  enlisted,  and  must  be 
a  soldier.  I  never  spoke  of  it.  I  was  too  much 
afraid  ever  to  mention  it ;  but  it  often  embittered 
my  joys    throughout   the    period   of  childhood.      It 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  15 


was  a  grievous  wrong  that  was  done  to  me.  Why- 
will  not  all  mankind  speak  truth,  and  only  truth,  to 
children? 

I  was  the  youngest  child.  My  position  became 
peculiar.  I  was  equal  to  my  brother  and  sisters  in 
some  things,  and  inferior  in  others.  In  mere  learning 
and  information  I  was  soon  alongside ;  but  I  re- 
tained all  the  childishness  of  my  years  and  more. 
I  must  have  been  very  apt  to  make  whining  com- 
plaints when  my  troubles  were  not  great.  Perhaps 
this  habit  was  aggravated  by  the  treatment  I  received 
first  from  my  brother  and  sisters,  and  then  from 
other  schoolfellows.  They  made  quite  a  business 
of  vexing  me  ;  and  when  challenged  for  it,  deliber- 
ately told  that  they  vexed  me  in  order  to  hear  me 
complaining.  When  my  father  returned  after  a  day's 
absence,  there  was  generally  a  regular  court  held, 
and  the  causes  pleaded  in  due  order.  I  always 
appeared  as  a  principal.  Very  frequently  the  deliver- 
ance was,  "  I  see  Will  never  meddles  with  any  of 
you  until  you  meddle  with  him."  I  suppose  I  often 
got  the  victory  with  the  tongue,  but  when  it  came 
to  blows  I  was  the  weakest.  I  remember  one  famous 
trial,  which  my  father  often  told  as  a  good  story  for 
the  entertainment  of  his  visitors.  One  after  another 
all  told  their  grievances,  and  every  one  bore  hard 
upon  me.  I  was  silent  while  the  accusations  were 
going  on.  When  they  were  all  finished,  and  the  case 
for  the  prosecution  was  closed,  my  father  turned  to 
me :  "  Well,  Will,  what  have  you  to  say  to  all  this  ?  " 


1 6  A  UTOBIOGRA  PH  Y. 

I  replied  by  repeating  with  martyr  like  simplicity 
the  text,  "  Blessed  are  ye  when  all  men  shall  revile 
you  and  persecute  you."  Whether  my  case  was 
good  I  cannot  now  remember,  but  this  piece  ol 
wit,  though  it  involved  an  improper  use  of  Scripture, 
turned  the  tide  in  my  favour,  and  brought  me  oft' 
with  flying  colours.  Mr.  James  Morrison,  minister 
at  Port-Glasgow,  informs  me  that  he  has  heard  my 
father  say  sarcastically,  "  Hand  yersel  richt,  Willie." 
This  must  have  been  after  I  had  attained  the  ripe 
age  of  twenty-four.  It  indicates  my  father's  opinion 
that  I  had  a  strong  tendency  to  defend  by  argument 
whatever  I  had  done.  I  suppose  this  disposition  in 
its  germ  was  innate,  but  probably  it  was  exercised 
into  much  greater  strength  by  my  position  as  the 
youngest  child  of  the  family — with  an  early  develop- 
ment of  mind,  capable  of  placing  me  on  equality 
with  those  above  me  in  matters  of  understanding, 
yet  destitute  both  of  the  manliness  and  the  physical 
strength  necessary  to  vindicate  the  position  to 
which  I  aspired. 

I  do  not  distinctly  remember  the  history  of  reli- 
gious impressions  in  my  own  mind.  I  am  sure  of 
this,  that  the  influence  of  prayer  and  the  Bible  at 
school  was  good.  I  never  experienced  dislike  of  the 
Bible  because  it  was  a  lesson  book.  The  whole 
tendency  of  its  use  on  my  mind  was  in  favour 
of  a  right  religious  impression.  I  could  not  settle 
the    date    of  it,    but  I  remember   well    the  fact   of 

1  1850. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  17 

the  first  prayer  that  I  ventured  to  offer,  employing 
my  own  words  and  thoughts.  I  had  previously 
used  the  Lord's  Prayer  and  hymns.  I  do  not 
remember  that  I  was  taught  how  to  do.  It  was  in 
my  bed  in  the  morning  that  it  came  into  my  mind 
suddenly,  and  I  felt  it  a  great  emancipation  to  be 
free  from  the  trammels  of  a  prayer  learned  by  rote. 
I  must  have  been  very  young. 

A  curious  phenomenon  I  very  distinctly  re- 
member, that  occurred  about  the  time  that  I  had 
mastered  the  art  of  reading.  The  first  time  that 
I  was  conscious  of  being  led  to  read  a  book  by 
a  delight  in  the  matter  that  it  contained,  there 
was  a  very  strange  commotion  in  my  inner  man. 
Hitherto  I  had  read,  and  even  understood  what 
I  read,  only  because  I  was  told  to  read  certain 
lessons.  But  on  a  certain  day  an  old  collection  fell 
into  my  hands,  and  of  my  own  accord — no  one 
bidding  me,  no  one  even  looking  at  me  —  I  sat 
down  and  read  about  a  Highland  soldier  who  was 
taken  prisoner  by  a  tribe  of  savages.  This  story 
became  to  me  the  entrance  into  a  new  world.  It 
was  sudden.  I  was  much  excited.  There  seemed 
no  limit  to  the  enlargement  that  now  opened  before 
me.  I  remembered  the  case  of  Samuel,  just  such 
a  boy  as  myself,  who  met,  as  I  supposed,  with  such  a 
discovery,  and  at  first  did  not  know  the  nature  of 
it :  once  and  again  he  went  to  Eli.  But  when  he 
was  instructed  how  to  act,  and  when  the  voice  re- 
turned,   he    said,    "  Speak,    Lord ;   for    thy   servant 

B 


1 8  A  UTOBIOGRAPH  V. 

heareth."  I  began  to  think  that  1  had  been  visited 
in  some  such  way  as  Samuel  had  been.  I  thought, 
since  his  case  was  known  to  me,  I  ought  not  to  be 
ignorant  of  the  proper  way  to  act  on  the  occasion. 
Accordingly,  with  all  due  solemnity,  I  said,  "  Speak, 
Lord;  for  thy  servant  heareth."  No  particular 
answer  was  given,  but  I  retained  for  long  the  im- 
pression that  at  that  time  suddenly  God  had  opened 
up  a  new  field,  and  given  me  an  entrance  on  it — 
a  great  enlargement.  It  did  not  assume  dis- 
tinctively a  religious  shape ;  it  was  rather  intel- 
lectual. I  never  whispered  it  to  a  living  creature — 
no,  not  till  I  was  forty  years  of  age. 

At  seven  years  of  age  I  was  sent  to  school  at 
Aberdalgie — the  nearest  parish  on  the  other  side 
the  river.  The  master  at  that  time,  Mr.  Peddie, 
enjoyed  a  very  high  reputation.  His  parish  was 
small.  There  was  not  a  population  to  supply  large 
classes  in  a  public  school,  but  the  numbers  were 
swelled  by  no  less  than  thirty  boys  who  boarded 
with  the  master.  Mr.  Peddie  was  a  teacher  in 
advance  of  his  age.  He  was  a  fine  specimen  of 
an  old  gentleman.  He  had  an  enlarged  and  culti- 
vated mind.  His  son  was  a  major  in  the  army, 
and  about  the  time  that  I  entered  his  school,  was 
lost  in  an  attempt  to  explore  the  sources  of  the 
Niger.  His  two  daughters  were  dignified,  polished, 
Christian  ladies.  I  obtained  some  advantage  in 
Mr.  Peddie's  school.  I  was  initiated  into  geography, 
which  opened  up  another  new  world  to  my  mind. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  19 

In  arithmetic,  however,  I  did  not  succeed  so  well. 
The  boys  with  whom  I  was  associated  were  further 
advanced  than  myself,  and  I  was  discouraged  by 
finding  them  doing  what  I  could  not  comprehend. 
Besides,  by  this  time  Mr.  Peddie  was  very  old,  and 
the  management  of  the  school  was  becoming 
gradually  more  feeble.  I  well  remember  some  rem- 
nants of  the  worthy  old  man's  habits  on  Saturday. 
That  day  was  made  very  attractive  to  us  by  Bible 
stories,  which  he  told  and  enacted  in  presence  of 
the  whole  school.  Long  before  Mr.  D.  Stow  of 
Glasgow  and  his  training  system  had  come 
into  being,  Mr.  Peddie  was  picturing  Scripture 
lessons  with  a  genius  and  a  vigour  that  few  normal 
students  yet  can  equal.  I  remember  well  the  hearty 
laugh  of  the  scholars  when  the  worthy  old  gentle- 
man, who  was  somewhat  corpulent,  and  very  tall, 
enacted  David  throwing  the  stone  at  the  Philistine, 
llow  he  did  swing  his  one  arm  round  his  white 
head,  while  the  loose  sleeve,  where  the  other  arm 
should  have  been,  danced  in  the  wind ;  and  what 
a  race  forward  he  took  to  give  additional  impetus 
to  the  stone  when  at  last  it  was  let  off;  and  how 
earnestly  he  looked  forward  to  see  whether  his 
missile  had  taken  effect  on  the  forehead  oi  his 
adversary!  The  whole  essence  oi  the  training 
system  was  there. 

One  exploit  connected  with  this  school  I  record,  as 
it  suggests  a  somewhat  interesting  question  in  casu- 
istry.    A  burn  crossed  the  road,  or  perhaps,  I  should 


20  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

rather  say,  the  road  crossed  a  burn,  about  half-way 
between  our  house  and  the  school.  There  was  a 
good  bridge,  but  we  seldom  deigned  to  make  use  of 
it.  We  liked  better  to  cross  below,  by  leaping  from 
boulder  to  boulder  in  the  bed  of  the  stream.  In  per- 
forming that  operation  one  morning,  I  lost  my  balance, 
and  fell  at  all  my  length  in  water  of  depth  sufficient 
to  wet  about  one-half  of  my  body.  As  I  stood  drip- 
ping on  the  shore,  a  council  was  held,  and  it  was 
decided  unanimously  that  it  was  not  safe  for  me  to 
go  to  school — that  I  must  go  directly  home  and  get 
dry  clothes.  Accordingly  all  the  rest  went  on,  and 
I  turned  back  alone.  The  day  was  fine.  The  sun 
shone  briskly.  I  sauntered  slowly,  and  before  I 
reached  home  my  clothes  were  almost  entirely  dry. 
I  began  to  fear  that  my  tale  would  not  be  credited. 
I  would  not  be  able  to  show  a  good  cause  for  not 
going  on  to  school.  By  this  time  I  had  reached  the 
river,  along  whose  bank  my  road  now  lay.  I  began 
to  think  that  a  dip  would  conduce  to  my  safety, 
and  yet  lead  to  no  breach  of  truth.  Down  I  went, 
and  dipped  myself  as  deeply  as  seemed  necessary  to 
afford  a  justification  of  my  return.  Accordingly,  when 
I  reached  home,  I  obtained  lots  of  sympathy  and  dry 
clothes.  I  have  often  since  reflected  on  the  morality 
of  this  transaction.  I  certainly  had  a  sense  of  truth 
and  thought  I  was  acting  in  accordance  with  it.  1 
would  not  have  wet  myself  in  the  water,  and  falsely 
represented  that  I  had  fallen  into  the  burn.  As  the 
case  was,  I  was  content  to  stand  by  the  original  and 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY.  21 

truthful  cause  of  my  return;  but  an  accident  had 
obliterated  the  evidence  of  the  fact,  and  I  was  afraid 
I  would  not  be  trusted.  The  trick  was  resorted  to, 
not  to  deceive,  but  to  avoid  the  suspicion  of  having 
deceived.  However,  it  would  have  been  better  to 
have  trusted  to  truth,  and  not  to  have  attempted  to 
strengthen  it  by  an  ingenuity  of  a  very  doubtful 
legality. 

While  at  Aberdalgie  School,  I  fought  two  or  three 
pitched,  premeditated,  single  combats.  Sometimes 
I  was  successful,  and  sometimes  not.  We  fought  to 
the  effusion  of  blood  always,  but  never  were  per- 
manently injured.  I  do  not  remember  any  very 
active  anger.  It  was  rather  a  cool  trial  of  strength. 
It  was  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  more  civilised 
warfare.  The  combatants  were  not  personally  en- 
raged against  each  other,  but  were  persuaded  to  fight 
for  the  glory  of  the  thing.  I  remember  that  there 
was  no  pleasure  in  it ;  all  parties  were  very  miser- 
able. Even  then  God's  government  made  wicked- 
ness troublesome — threw  a  barrier  in  to  restrain  the 
outbreaks  of  wickedness. 

We  sometimes  played  truant  under  the  leadership 
of  Geordie  Bell,  a  boy  several  years  older  than  my 
brother,  and  of  a  very  roving  disposition.  We  went 
to  Perth  on  some  of  these  occasions,  and  at  other 
times  wandered  in  the  woods.  I  never  had  much 
pleasure  in  the  stolen  waters,  and  the  fear  of  dis- 
covery embittered  any  little  enjoyment  that  was 
agoing.     Neither  my  brother  nor  myseli  would  have 


22  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

played  truant  of  our  own  motion.  Our  disposition 
did  not  lie  in  that  direction.  The  company  of  Bell 
was  very  injurious  to  us.  His  bold  adventurous 
spirit  acquired  an  influence  over  us.  He  was  in- 
dulged by  his  father,  and  always  had  money  in  his 
pocket.  Soon  after  he  attained  to  manhood,  he 
disappeared,  and  nobody  ever  knew  what  became 
of  him. 

After  having  attended  the  school  at  Aberdalgie  for 
several  years,  we  were  removed  to  one  at  Kintillo,  in 
the  parish  of  Dambarney,  at  a  distance  of  about  three 
miles  from  home.  Mr.  Peddie's  infirmities  had  by  this 
time  increased  so  much,  that  the  school  was  often  left 
in  the  hands  of  his  daughters.  The  master  of  the 
school  at  Kintillo,  whose  name  was  Tainsh,  was  a 
man  of  considerable  capacity.  We  made  good  pro- 
gress in  arithmetic  under  him,  but  almost  every  other 
branch  was  neglected.  At  this  school  we  sometimes 
played  truant.  Three  of  us — Davy  Miller  of  Farm- 
hall,  my  brother,  and  myself — often  spent  a  pleasant 
Saturday  in  the  Gallowmuir  plantation.  Our  chief 
amusement  was  the  construction  and  use  of  bows  and 
arrows.  Though  it  was  clearly  an  error,  yet  there 
was  in  this  case  a  considerable  palliation.  The  jour- 
ney was  long.  We  had  found  out  that  the  attend- 
ance at  school  on  the  Saturday  was  little  more  than 
a  matter  of  form,  and  yet  we  were  obliged  to  go. 
Even  in  a  day  of  drifting  rain  I  have  spent  a  fore- 
noon in  that  wood,  under  shelter  of  an  extempore 
tabernacle  thatched  with  broom. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  23 

At  Kintillo  there  was  a  desk  of  big  boys  who  were 
employed  at  arithmetic  alone.  In  that  desk  I  was 
the  youngest  for  a  long  time.  There  was  much  idle- 
ness. Sometimes,  however,  the  master  succeeded  in 
inspiring  us  with  some  measure  of  enthusiasm.  One 
spring  especially,  I  remember  he  engaged  us  in  land- 
measuring,  with  great  success.  We  measured  our 
field  most  joyously,  and  at  the  same  time  most  dili- 
gently, in  the  forenoon  on  the  neighbouring  farms ; 
and  in  the  afternoon  made  the  calculations,  and  in- 
serted the  whole  with  a  diagram  in  our  account 
books.  On  one  occasion  the  master  discovered,  by 
some  accident,  a  lamentable  defect  of  orthography 
in  the  big  boys'  desk,  and  in  a  fit  of  reform  ordered 
us  all  up  to  a  class  among  girls  of  our  own  age  and 
younger  boys,  to  spell  columns  from  the  dictionary. 
There  was  great  excitement  in  the  whole  school. 
The  circumstance  that  I  remember  best  was  the 
tremulous  commotion  about  my  heart  on  finding 
myself  among  the  older  girls  at  the  top  of  the  class. 
When  I  stood  for  some  days  second,  with  Eliza  Hill 
on  one  side  and  Ann  Murray  on  the  other,  with  all 
the  boys  in  the  school  looking  on,  I  was  consider- 
ably agitated  by  sundry  conflicting  emotions,  among 
which  bashfulness  might  be  distinctly  recognised 
looming  the  largest. 

One  day  during  our  interval  of  play,  a  man  with  a 
monkey  and  an  organ  passed  through  the  village. 
We  followed  him  in  one  vast  troop.  As  we  were 
marching  past  the  school,  the  hour  of  entering  had 


24  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

arrived,  and  the  master  called  out,  warning  us  that 
it  would  be  at  our  peril  if  we  stayed  out  another 
minute.  On  hearing  this  mandate,  I  ran  to  the  end 
of  the  school,  where  was  a  well  at  which  the  scholars 
always  drank  before  resuming  their  afternoon's  work  ; 
there  I  quenched  my  thirst  with  all  possible  speed, 
and  hastened  to  the  school.  I  found  the  door  shut, 
and  the  master  behind  it,  frowning  like  iEtna.  He 
told  me  to  take  my  place  on  the  floor.  There  I  stood 
alone  and  in  silence  for  a  considerable  time,  the 
younger  children  and  the  girls  being  by  this  time 
in  their  places  and  at  their  work.  After  a  consider- 
able interval,  the  boys  who  had  followed  the  monkey 
began  to  appear  one  by  one.  They  were  arranged 
under  me  as  they  successively  entered,  until  we 
formed  a  class  reaching  from  end  to  end  of  the 
school.  When  all  were  arranged,  the  master  began 
with  me,  giving  me  I  forget  how  many  "  palmies," 
the  same  number  to  the  next,  and  so  on.  His  breath, 
however,  soon  became  short,  and  the  blows  fell 
lighter  on  the  outstretched  palms.  Observing  this, 
and  determined  that  the  culprits  should  not  profit 
by  his  infirmity,  the  dominie  called  a  halt  at  the 
middle  of  the  row,  and  deliberately  sat  down  to  rest. 
When  he  felt  sufficiently  refreshed,  he  resumed,  and 
in  due  time  completed  his  task.  An  hour  after, 
Avhen  the  worthy  man  was  in  better  humour,  he  had 
occasion  to  visit  our  bench.  I  took  the  opportunity 
of  introducing  the  subject,  and  informing  him  that 
I  did  not  deserve  the  punishment ;  that  I  had  not 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY.  25 

followed  the  monkey  one  step  after  his  inhibition; 
that  I  had  only  drunk  at  the  well — the  universal 
privilege — and  instantly  entered.  He  confessed  that 
my  case  was  good,  and  that  I  ought  to  have  been 
exempted.  This  was  a  great  consolation  to  me ;  it 
was  the  only  time  that  I  had  been  punished  at  that 
school,  and  it  was  manifestly  owing  to  the  worthy 
man's  passion  having  for  the  moment  unfitted  him 
for  distinguishing  between  right  and  wrong. 

During  some  period  of  my  attendance  at  Kintillo, 
I  had  possession  of  the  metrical  history  of  Sir  William 
Wallace.  I  read  it,  lying  at  length  on  the  grass, 
during  the  intervals,  with  a  circle  of  boys  stretched 
out  around  me. 

Before  leaving  this  school,  my  brother  and  I  had 
made  some  proficiency  in  arithmetic,  but  every  other 
thing  was  in  a  great  measure  neglected. 

I  do  not  remember  the  dates  of  events,  but  I 
record  some  of  them  at  random.  My  father  married 
again  when  I  was  about  eight  or  nine  years  of  age. 
His  wife  was  Anne  Gilmour,  a  middle-aged,  respect- 
able woman,  of  a  very  respectable  family  in  Auchter- 
muchty,  a  large  village  in  Fifeshire. 

After  I  had  reached  an  age  that  fitted  me  for  use- 
fulness in  matters  agricultural,  I  was  kept  at  home 
during  the  summer,  and  sent  to  school  in  winter. 
My  chief  employment  for  a  number  of  years  was 
herding  the  cows  on  a  stripe  of  pasture  along  the 
bank  of  the  river.  Many  tender  associations  in  my 
mind  are  connected  with  that  humble  employment. 


26  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

Several  dogs  in  succession  were  my  companions. 
One  in  particular,  a  large,  elegant,  light  brown 
animal  named  Rodney,  deserved  and  enjoyed  a 
special  measure  of  my  affection.  One  of  Rodney's 
tricks  often  attracted  the  attention  of  strangers,  and 
deserves  a  place  in  this  record  as  an  interesting  fact 
in  natural  history.  At  a  shallow  part  of  the  river 
near  our  house,  swarms  of  minnows  were  wont  to 
bask  in  the  sun,  with  not  more  than  three  or  four 
inches  of  water  covering  them.  Whenever  Rodney 
could  command  a  leisure  hour,  he  marched  down  to 
the  bank  and  waded  into  the  water  to  the  place 
where  the  minnows  congregated.  As  a  matter  of 
course  they  all  fled  at  his  approach.  This,  however, 
was  no  more  than  he  expected.  He  took  up  his 
position,  raised  one  of  his  fore  feet  above  the  water, 
and  stood  still  as  a  statue  on  the  other  three.  In  a 
short  time  the  minnows  regained  courage,  and  see- 
ing nothing  moving,  began  to  play  round  Rodney's 
legs.  Rodney  turned  the  side  of  his  head  to  the 
water,  selected  his  victim,  took  his  aim,  and  pat 
down  with  his  uplifted  paw  splash  upon  the  water. 
After  the  commotion  was  over,  carefully  and  gently 
did  he  raise  up  the  one  side  of  his  foot,  and  anxiously 
did  he  squint  with  one  eye  beneath  it,  to  see  whether 
he  had  entrapped  a  minnow,  but  alas !  the  minnow 
was  always  too  quick  for  Rodney ;  he  was  never 
once  known  to  make  a  successful  hit,  and  yet  many 
a  patient  hour  he  fished  on  that  bank,  with  none  to 
encourage  him  and  nothing  to  reward  his  toil.     In 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  27 

process  of  time  Rodney  was  seized  with  a  disease 
which  my  father  thought  mortal,  and  therefore  threw 
him  into  the  river  with  a  stone  tied  round  his  neck. 
I  looked  on  from  a  distance,  and  saw  the  struggles 
of  the  noble  brute  beneath  the  water.  Often  after- 
wards I  gazed  in  silent  sadness  on  the  stream  at  the 
spot  where  Rodney  died. 

The  few  books  which  fell  into  my  hands  in  those 
days  I  read  with  great  avidity.  One  of  the  earliest 
was  the  "Pilgrim's  Progress."  I  liked  it  intensely 
for  its  story;  but  I  was  aware  of  its  allegorical 
nature,  and  understood  at  least  the  main  outline  of 
its  moral.  A  farmer — our  nearest  neighbour — very 
pompous  and  very  empty,  came  past  one  fine  summer 
day  when  I  was  stretched  on  the  grass  with  the 
"Pilgrim."  He  took  the  book,  looked  at  the  title,  and 
as  soon  as  he  recognised  it,  exclaimed,  with  a  very 
knowing  air,  "  I  have  read  that  book,  but  I  think 
there  is  a  great  deal  of  it  not  true."  I  explained  to 
him  that  it  is  an  allegory ;  that  as  a  history  none  ot 
it  is  true;  but  as  a  moral  all  of  it  is  true.  He 
grinned  sceptically  as  he  returned  the  book.  His 
head  was  not  formed  with  an  orifice  for  the  admis- 
sion of  such  an  idea,  yet  there  were  several  good 
points  in  his  character. 

I  obtained  and  read  at  that  time  Brydone's  Tour 
through  Sicily  and  Malta.  I  was  interested  chiefly 
in  his  facts  and  descriptions.  I  do  not  remember 
that  his  phil  sophieal  speculations  made  much  im- 
pression on  my  mind.     1  read  also  a  book  of  religious 


28  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

meditations,  whose  author's  name  I  forget.  I  was 
taken  by  its  familiarity  and  homely  character.  It 
was  a  printed  book,  and  yet  it  dealt  with  matters 
lying  within  my  own  daily  observation.  I  remember 
one  of  its  reflections  still — whether  the  best  in  the 
book  I  cannot  tell,  but  it  is  the  only  one  that  is  still 
in  its  entireness  imprinted  on  my  mind :  "  Certain 
pigs  were  seen  greedily  gathering  acorns  from  the 
ground,  and  never  looking  up  to  the  majestic  oak 
from  which  they  had  fallen."  Forthwith  the  worthy 
meditator  observes,  that  in  this  manner  men  devour 
God's  bounties,  and  do  not  look  up  to  recognise  the 
hand  from  which  they  come. 

The  historical  parts  of  the  Bible  were  an  inex- 
haustible theme.  Although  familiar  with  every  verse, 
I  continued  to  derive  pleasure  from  reading  them 
again.  Watts'  hymns  for  children  I  had  so  trans- 
ferred to  my  memory,  that  they  seemed  a  component 
part  of  itself.  These  twenty-eight  divine  songs, 
how  suitable  for  young  children  !  How  precious  the 
deposit  of  sacred  truth  that  they  leave  on  infant 
minds ! 

Somehow  at  a  very  early  stage  of  my  intellectual 
development,  the  "  Arabian  Nights'  Entertainments '' 
and  "  Don  Quixote  "  fell  into  my  hands.  They  were 
greedily  devoured.  They  contributed  in  some  mea- 
sure to  whet  the  appetite  for  mental  food.  I  am 
not  aware  of  any  mischief  that  resulted  from  their 
perusal.  One  cause  of  safety  was  the  very  narrow 
limits  of  my  resources.     Even  though  these  books 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  29 

had  kindled  a  passion  for  romances,  I  had  no  other 
romances  to  read. 

The  first  glimpses  I  obtained  of  the  political  world 
were  connected  with  the  trial  of  Queen  Caroline. 
Robert  Liddel,  the  owner  and  master  of  a  sloop 
trading  from  Perth,  and  married  to  Mary  Laing,  my 
cousin,  was  a  frequent  visitor  at  my  father's.  He 
sometimes  brought  a  newspaper.  From  these  I  first 
found  out  the  existence  and  nature  of  Government. 
I  remember  the  first  political  personages  revealed  to 
my  youthful  vision  were  Henry  Brougham,  the 
Queen's  eloquent  advocate,  and  Bartholomew  Ber- 
gami,  the  Queen's  aellged  paramour.  My  concep- 
tions of  public  men  and  things  were  very  dim,  but 
around  that  accidental  nucleus  my  information 
gradually  agglomerated,  and  grew  both  in  trans- 
parency and  bulk. 

Through  the  conversations  of  the  said  Captain 
Liddel  I  experienced  a  furor,  which  I  suppose  very 
many  boys  pass  through,  —  a  determination  to  go 
to  sea.  Although  active  for  several  years,  it  after- 
wards gradually  subsided  in  the  absence  of  the 
exciting  cause. 

The  first  time  I  saw  death  was  in  the  case  of 
Mrs.  Liddel's  infant,  who  died  while  she  was  resid- 
ing with  us  for  the  benefit  of  her  own  health. 

There  was  another  instance  of  death,  the  gravest 
of  all  the  incidents  connected  with  my  summer's 
employment  at  the  river-side.  On  a  Sabbath  morn- 
ing, while  I  was  with  my  charge,  alone  at  the  further 


30  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

extremity  of  the  pasture,  I  saw  people  at  the  other 
extremity,  near  the  house,  running  from  various 
directions  to  the  river.  I  ran  to  the  spot.  From  those 
who  were  there  before  me  I  learned  that  the  boy  who 
herded  on  the  other  side,  servant  of  Mr.  Pringle, 
Mains  of  Aberdalgie,  had  been  bathing,  and  had 
been  carried  by  the  stream  into  the  deep.  They 
pointed  to  the  spot,  and  I  could  see  a  faint  reflection 
of  something  white  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  and 
gliding  down  with  the  stream  on  the  bottom.  This 
was  before  I  had  learned  to  swim.  No  one  present 
could  swim.  The  only  means  of  raising  the  body 
consisted  in  bringing  the  ferry  boat  to  the  spot.  By 
this  time  my  father  and  another  person  had  got  into 
the  boat,  but  it  was  heavy  and  not  supplied  with 
oars.  Their  progress  was  necessarily  slow,  but  the 
distance  was  not  great.  They  soon  brought  it  over 
the  body.  My  father,  by  means  of  a  plank,  raised 
the  body  to  the  surface ;  the  other  man  caught  it  by 
the  hair,  and  in  a  few  moments  it  was  raised  into 
the  boat.  I  saw  it  all  from  the  bank.  This  was  the 
boy  with  whom  I  conversed  across  the  river  almost 
every  day.  The  sensation  produced  in  the  circle  of 
our  companionship  was  deep  and  not  ephemeral. 

Soon  afterwards  I  learned  to  swim,  and  gradually 
attained  to  very  considerable  proficiency  in  the  art. 
I  practised  it  much  throughout' my  youth. 

I  found  it  very  pleasant,  and  I  think  it  was  health- 
ful. I  have  found  the  possession  of  this  accomplish- 
ment very  valuable,  once  in  directly  saving  me  from 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  31 

drowning,  and  often  in  imparting  a  sensation  of 
safety,  when  otherwise  I  would  have  been  in  a  state 
of  alarm.  I  remember  about  this  time  being  sent 
alone  one  day  into  a  wooded  park,  called  the  Beltin, 
to  gather  some  hay  that  was  sufficiently  dry  for  being 
coiled.  The  day  was  very  hot.  After  working  a 
while,  I  lay  down  among  the  hay  under  a  tree  to 
rest.  There  I  fell  asleep.  After  sleeping  a  consider- 
able time,  I  was  awakened  by  some  noise  close  by 
me.  I  opened  my  eyes,  and  saw  my  father  standing 
over  me.  My  first  emotion  was  fear.  I  thought  he 
would  be  very  angry  because  I  was  not  diligently 
working.  I  betrayed  symptoms  of  sudden  terror. 
But  I  soon  saw  my  father  smile  benignantly  at  my 
fear.  On  the  instant  the  fear  departed.  I  regained 
confidence.  My  father  spoke  kindly,  and  encouraged 
me  to  proceed.  He  helped  me  with  my  task.  He 
had  more  tenderness  and  love  for  me  than  I  gave 
him  credit  for.  I  have  often  thought  since  that 
my  first  emotions  of  terror  are  a  faithful  image 
of  the  distrust  and  dread  wherewith  sinful  creatures 
regard  our  Father  in  heaven.  We  do  him  injustice. 
"  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord 
pitieth  them  that  fear  him." 

When  I  was  almost  fourteen  years  of  age,  my  father 
thought  me  too  big  for  tending  his  little  herd  by  the 
river-side  ;  and  therefore  he  engaged  a  boy  for  that 
service,  and  determined  to  send  me  to  school  in  sum- 
mer as  well  as  in  winter.  It  was  arranged  that  I 
should  go  to  Perth,  as   I  was   considered   able   to 


32  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

accomplish  the  journey  to  and  from  the  city  every 
day.  No  profession  had  yet  been  fixed  npon,  and 
there  was  no  definite  plan  of  study.  I  was  sent  to  a 
private  mercantile  academy,  kept  by  a  Mr.  Scott,  in 
Barossa  Street.  He  was  an  excellent  writing  master, 
and  during  the  short  time  I  was  under  his  care,  my 
handwriting  underwent  a  most  beneficial  revolution. 
Indeed,  in  the  country  schools  that  art  was  almost 
wholly  neglected  after  the  rudiments  were  obtained. 
No  effort  was  made  either  by  master  or  pupils  to 
improve  in  the  formation  of  the  letters  after  the  pupil 
had  reached  the  high  and  honourable  occupation  of 
"  counting."  No  other  acquisition  was  to  be  ob- 
tained in  Mr.  Scott's  school,  and  unfortunately,  with 
all  our  ideas  formed  on  the  model  of  a  parish  school 
in  the  country,  it  did  not  occur  to  us  that  in  town  the 
day  might  be  divided  among  several  schools.  How- 
ever, the  accomplishment  was  worth  the  labour. 
After  an  attendance  of  six  or  seven  weeks,  I  was 
disabled  by  illness,  and  before  I  had  recovered,  the 
vacation  had  arrived. 

My  first  illness  was  measles ;  after  that  an  acute 
inflammation  somewhere  in  the  left  side  of  the  chest, 
which  greatly  reduced  my  strength.  During  the  first 
two  or  three  days,  the  family  were  apprehensive  for 
my  life.  I  remember,  in  an  interval  of  consciousness, 
when  they  thought  me  insensible,  my  father  said  to 
some  one  in  my  hearing,  that  Will  had  always  been 
attentive  to  his  Bible  and  his  duties.  This  he  ob- 
served by  way  of  comfort  to  himself  if  I  should  be 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  S3 

taken  away.  That  remark  was  good  for  me  in  two 
ways.  It  showed  me  that  my  disease  was  very  seri- 
ous ;  and  it  brought  before  my  own  mind  very  vividly 
how  unfit  I  was  for  departing.  If  I  had  heard  some 
one  charging  me  with  my  sins  at  that  moment,  it 
would  not  have  brought  such  conviction  to  my  con- 
science as  the  laudatory  remark  of  my  kind  father. 
Very  distinctly  did  I  perceive  that  his  good  opinion 
depended  on  his  not  knowing  my  heart.  I  knew  that 
in  God's  judgment  the  sentence  would  be  different. 
Some  years  afterward  a  sense  of  sinfulness  was  much 
quickened  in  a  similar  way,  by  overhearing  two  per- 
sons speak  favourably  of  my  religious  character. 
Somehow  this  throws  one  very  directly  on  God,  the 
heart-searcher.  When  one  speaks  evil  of  me,  my 
heart  defends ;  when  one  flatters  me  to  my  face,  I 
drink  in  part  of  the  flattery,  and  the  other  part  I 
attribute  to  the  good  nature  of  my  friend ;  but  when 
one  speaks  well  of  me,  not  knowing  that  I  hear  it, 
this  sends  me  to  God,  and  I  feel  as  if  I  were  a  hypo- 
crite to  have  such  a  character  with  those  who  see 
outside,  while  it  is  so  different  within. 

Although  I  refrain  from  entering  into  particulars 
here,  I  note  briefly  and  generally  that  the  remainder 
of  the  summer,  while  I  was  in  a  feeble  bat  convales- 
cent state,  was  a  most  important  era  in  my  spiritual 
history.  I  do  not  think  I  obtained  any  views,  pro- 
perly speaking,  new,  either  of  the  Gospel  or  of  my- 
self; but  the  views  I  had  previously  entertained  were 
vivified  in  a  hitherto  unwonted  degree.  I  was 
c 


34  A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 

made  to  feel  the  reality  of  my  sin  and  danger,  and 
ardently  to  desire  the  safety  of  my  soul.  Old 
Leezie  Chalmers  gave  me  at  that  time  "  Baxter's 
Saints'  Rest,"  which  I  read  with  great  profit.  It  had 
a  very  great  effect  in  giving  reality  and  power  and 
personal  interest  to  all  that  I  had  previously  known 
of  divine  things.  At  that  time  I  sought  very  ear- 
nestly to  find  the  way  of  salvation.  I  knew  the  truth 
of  the  Gospel — the  free  grace  through  Christ ;  but 
when  long  afterwards  I  looked  back  upon  the  period, 
I  clearly  saw  that  there  was  a  strong  admixture  of 
the  legal  spirit.  I  was  wofully  wanting  in  the  matter 
of  liberty.  The  prevalent  topics  were  my  own  sin 
and  danger,  the  necessity  of  conversion,  and  the  holi- 
ness of  God.  Not  enough  of  the  love  of  Jesus  was 
thrown  in  among  my  meditations.  The  impressions 
of  that  period  did  not  continue  at  the  same  degree 
of  vividness  ;  but  they  never  were  worn  off.  They 
maintained  their  place  throughout  my  youth,  ever 
ready,  when  called  up  by  some  word  or  providence, 
to  stand  before  my  face,  and  hold  me  to  my  early 
covenant. 

In  the  autumn,  while  I  was  still  feeble,  I  was  in- 
vited to  reside  for  a  time  with  Mr.  William  Thomson, 
at  Leadketty,  in  the  parish  of  Dunning.  Mr.  Thomson 
was  my  father's  cousin.  He  was  a  respectable  farmer. 
I  lived  with  him  the  greater  part  of  a  year.  The 
memory  of  that  year  is  chequered,  but  the  dark 
shades  greatly  preponderate. 

At  first  I  was  feeble,  and  was  not  asked  to  do  any 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  35 


heavy  work ;  but  I  soon  gained  strength,  and  began 
to  take  my  share  of  labour  with  every  one  on  the 
farm.  The  work  was  chiefly  of  a  kind  that  interested 
me.  The  horses,  whether  in  cart  or  plough,  always 
offer  attractions  to  youth.  I  soon  learned  to  be  at 
home  in  their  management ;  the  open  air  employment 
and  the  constant  exercise  were  favourable  to  the 
development  of  my  frame.  I  became  very  robust ; 
but  certainly  the  inward  man  did  not  profit  so  much 
as  the  outward.  I  tremble  yet  at  the  thought  of  the 
risks  I  then  ran.  Evil  influences  were  manifold  ;  and 
except  in  conscience  there  were  hardly  any  restraints. 
Mr.  Thomson  and  his  mother  and  sister  were  kind  to 
me.  They  endeavoured  to  make  me  feel  as  one  of  the 
family  ;  but  they  were  elderly,  and  the  servants,  both 
male  and  female,  were  more  with  me  and  more  con- 
genial. I  was  almost  wholly  in  the  society  of  plough- 
men and  other  young  persons  employed  on  the  farm. 
However,  my  relationship  to  the  master,  and  the  notice 
taken  of  me  by  the  family,  really  did  act  in  some 
measure  as  a  preservative.  I  was  always  taken  into 
the  parlour  to  drink  tea  with  the  family  on  Sab- 
bath evening.  This  marked  me  off  from  the  ser- 
vants, and  I  now  think  must  have  had  considerable 
influence  in  keeping  me  from  being  entirely  vul- 
garized by  a  thorough  amalgamation  with  the  rudest 
class  of  the  peasantry.  I  speak  not  of  mere  rusticity. 
To  this  hour  I  do  not  think  that  an  evil.  But  the 
moral  tone  was  low.  The  conduct,  in  many  instances, 
was  most  vicious.     At  the  age  of  fifteen,  far  from  my 


36  A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 

father's  house,  I  was  brought  into  close  contact  with 
many  vices.  I  mark  the  hand  of  God's  providence 
in  preserving  me,  when  I  was  making  no  exertion  to 
take  care  of  myself.  One  notable  instance  of  this  I 
must  here  record.  There  was  an  annual  fair  in  the 
neighbouring  village  of  Dunning.  In  the  evening 
I  went  to  see  it,  in  the  company  of  Mr.  Thomson's 
foreman  and  other  men.  They  led  me  into  several 
public-houses,  where  they  gave  me  whisky  toddy. 
We  were  not  very  long  in  the  village.  There  Avas 
not  very  much  drinking  ;  none  of  the  men  were 
intoxicated.  I  retained  no  recollection  of  the 
quantity  I  drank.  I  did  not  suspect  danger.  I 
had  no  intention  and  no  fear  of  making  myself 
tipsy;  indeed,  that  did  not  occur  to  me.  On  the 
way  home  I  felt  the  effects  of  the  toddy  in  the 
form  of  great  exhilaration  of  spirits.  The  men  were 
greatly  amused  by  my  unwonted  loquacity.  After 
I  came  home  I  became  sick  and  giddy.  I  has- 
tened to  bed.  I  passed  a  most  wretched  night.  At 
the  earliest  dawn,  about  three  in  the  morning,  I 
left  my  bed,  and  issued  forth  to  the  cool  air.  I  was 
in  a  deplorable  condition ;  something  that  seemed 
to  be  thirst  was  gnawing  within  me.  I  went  to  a 
well  at  the  bottom  of  the  garden,  and  drank  of  its 
clear,  cool  stream  ;  but  it  tasted  like  Epsom  salts  in 
my  mouth,  and  after  I  had  drunk  it  I  was  as  thirsty 
as  before.  I  wandered  about  till  the  ordinary  time 
of  rising,  and  then  resumed  my  employment.  I  was 
not  well  for  several  days   after,  but   gradually  re- 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY.  37 

covered  strength  and  appetite.  This  happened 
when  I  was  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  or  rather  under  it. 
For  many  years  after  that  J  could  not  endure  the 
taste  of  whisky  in  any  shape,  and  could  not 
even  remain  in  a  house  where  toddy  was  emit- 
ting its  fumes.  Whether  the  sense  of  sin  and  the 
fear  of  offending  God  would  have  kept  me  clear 
of  drunkenness  I  cannot  tell ;  but  I  know  that  the 
matter  was  not  left  to  these  motives  alone.  The 
illness  that  night,  and  the  loathing  of  spirits 
which  it  produced,  became  a  shield  of  defence  to 
me.  I  sometimes  think  if  people  suffered  as  much 
agony  as  I  did  from  their  first  act  of  inebriety,  they 
would  never  rush  into  a  second. 

During  that  period  I  remember  some  faint  buddings 
of  the  reflective  powers.  One  hot  summer  day  I  was 
alone  in  a  field  driving  three  horses  in  the  harrows. 
The  "yoking"  is  a  period  of  five  hours  on  a  stretch. 
The  ground  was  soft  and  dry.  The  harrows  raised 
the  hot  dust  round  my  head,  and  my  feet  at  every 
step  sank  heavily  into  the  dry  ground.  It  was  a. 
weary  day  ;  it  was  fatiguing  work.  I  had  no  human 
being  to  speak  to.  I  betook  myself  to  rhyme.  I 
composed  a  poem  on  a  snowdrop.  It  occupied  my 
thoughts  pleasantly,  and  diverted  me  from  the  op- 
pressive exercise  of  my  lungs  and  limbs.  When 
twelve  o'clock  came,  I  unyoked  my  horses,  leaped 
joyfully  on  the  bare  back  of  one,  and,  leading  the 
other  two,  soon  had  the  poor  brutes  in  the  stable. 
Off  I  started  then  to  my  sleeping  apartment,  bottling 


38  A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 

all  my  laboured  lines  in  my  memory,  and  committed 
them  to  paper.  The  lines  were  sad  doggerel.  They 
have  long  been  lost.  Not  one  could  I  now  recall. 
But  though  the  lines  are  lost,  and  would  be  of  no 
value  even  if  found,  the  memory  of  the  making  of 
these  lines,  with  the  attendant  circumstances,  is  still 
fresh  and  sweet.  It  is  one  of  a  number  of  little 
mental  efforts  which  served  to  keep  me  from  being 
entirely  absorbed  in  the  mass  of  coarse  vulgarity. 
Little  snatches  of  culture  are  of  great  value  when 
brought  into  contact  with  the  mind  of  the  peasantry. 
Although  there  was  a  proportion  of  vice  among  the 
agricultural  population,  it  was  comparatively  limited. 
Mere  rudeness  of  manner  and  silly  vain  conversation 
were  the  prevailing  evils. 

I  believe  I  learned  some  useful  things  in  the  farm. 
The  rude  contact  with  men  and  familiarity  with 
horses  rubbed  off  a  good  deal  of  my  constitutional 
"bairnliness,"  and  imparted  a  dash  of  manliness  to 
my  character,  which  I  think  is  by  no  means  to  be 
despised.  Too  much  dealing  with  horses,  either  at 
the  plough  or  at  the  race-course,  when  there  are  not 
other  and  counterbalancing  influences  at  work,  cer- 
tainly tends  to  bring  down  the  human  spirit  near  the 
level  of  its  company.  But  in  measure  and  in  mixture 
with  more  elevating  exercises,  it  seems  to  me  that 
familiarity  with  horses  improves  the  character  of  a 
man.  I  certainly  do  not  regret  that  I  held  the  plough 
at  sixteen  years  of  age,  or  that  I  could  throw  myself 
on  the  bare  back  of  a  horse  while  he  was  in  motion, 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  39 


or  that  I  learned  horsemanship  at  the  expense  oi 
many  a  fall.  It  has  helped,  I  think,  to  wring  the 
womanhood  out  of  a  nature  somewhat  soft  in  its 
original  contexture.  It  enables  me  to  feel  easy  in 
many  positions,  which  are  sufficient  to  annoy  those 
who  have  been  more  tenderly  cradled  in  their  youth. 
I  delight  to  notice  every  one,  even  the  least  of  the 
multifarious  influences  which,  during  youth,  go  to 
mould  the  character  of  the  man. 

There  was  entire  rest  on  the  Sabbath.  The  day 
was  observed  with  a  considerable  degree  of  religious 
reverence  in  all  matters  external.  I  do  not  remem- 
ber anything  at  all  of  the  ministry  of  the  parish 
church  which  we  attended.  I  only  know  that  the 
minister  was  intensely  "  moderate."  The  whole 
affair  was  a  hard,  dry  negation.  It  had  nothing  to 
impress ;  nothing  that  could  interest  the  mind ;  no- 
thing that  could  adhere  to  the  memory.  During  the 
period  of  my  residence  at  Leadketty,  the  religious 
principles  and  impressions  which  I  had  formerly 
attained  were  not  obliterated.  I  do  not  remember 
the  particulars,  but  1  know  that  the  fear  of  God  and 
the  love  of  Jesus  were  at  that  time  potential  motives 
within  me.  He  who  had  kept  me  from  the  womb, 
did  not  then  wholly  let  me  go. 

I  returned  home  (it  must  have  been)  about  the 
year  1824  or  1825.  My  first  call  was  to  occupy  for 
a  time  the  place  of  my  brother,  who  had  become  an 
apprentice  to  the  business  of  a  gardener  at  Kil- 
graston,  in  the  parish  of  Dumbarney,  and  was  laid 


40  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

aside  by  illness.  I  think  I  continued  there  about 
three  months,  when  my  brother  was  able  to  resume 
his  employment.  I  did  not  succeed  well  in  that 
place.  I  had  several  disadvantages  to  contend  with. 
My  brother  was  greatly  beloved  by  all,  and  I  was 
not  able  to  stand  the  comparison  to  which  I  was 
exposed.  Besides,  he  had  a  finer  practical  and 
mechanical  genius  than  I.  He  was  also  more  perse- 
vering. He  both  could  and  would  better  than  I.  In 
proportion  to  the  height  of  his  standing  was  the 
difficulty  under  which  I  laboured  of  keeping  any 
standing  at  all.  I  think  now,  however,  that  I  did 
not  get  fair  play.  I  was  too  unsuspecting  for  the 
characters  with  whom  I  was  brought  into  contact. 
I  do  think  they  took  advantage  of  me,  and  contrived 
to  make  me  uncomfortable.  There  must  have  been 
faults  on  both  sides  ;  but  I  distinctly  remember  that 
my  occupation  there  was  unpleasant.  The  principal 
gardener  was  a  silent,  austere  man,  and  the  foreman 
was  a  drunken,  licentious  scoundrel.  He  had  been 
bred  a  gardener  in  Scotland  in  his  youth.  Then  he 
spent  a  number  of  years  as  a  slave-driver  in  the 
West  Indies.  He  must  have  contracted  habits  of 
intoxication  which  unfitted  him  for  his  employment. 
He  returned  to  Scotland  and  resumed  his  old  trade. 
His  conversation  was  most  pestilential.  He  boasted 
of  debauch.  It  was  a  providential  good  to  me  that 
this  man  did  not  like  me. 

When  I  left  Kilgraston,  I  think  I  went  back  to  Mr. 
Thomson  to  assist  during  the  harvest,  but  soon  after 


A  UTOBIOGRAPH  Y.  41 

I  returned  to  reside  in  my  father's  house,  and  with 
his  consent  engaged  myself  as  an  apprentice  to  the 
gardener  of  Lord  Ruthven  at  Freeland.  This  was 
an  important  step.  My  father  was  not  favourable  to 
it  at  first.  The  wages  of  a  journeyman  gardener 
were  not  higher  than  those  of  a  labourer,  and  the 
prospect  of  advancement  did  not  appear  great.  My 
education  was  sufficient  for  the  occupation  of  a  clerk, 
or  assistant  to  a  shopkeeper.  My  father  wished  me 
apprenticed  to  a  trade  that  offered  better  prospects 
of  remuneration.  He  proposed  to  make  me  a  lawyer. 
I  did  not  very  nicely  balance  the  various  proposals 
that  were  discussed  in  the  family  as  to  my  destina- 
tion. I  set  my  heart  on  being  a  gardener  for  three 
reasons,  as  I  now  distinctly  remember — (1)  A  spice 
of  the  romantic  in  my  nature  seemed  much  more 
likely  to  obtain  its  gratification  in  a  garden  than  at 
a  desk  in  the  county  town.  (2)  A  strong  desire  to 
continue  some  time  longer  under  my  father's  roof. 
An  apprenticeship  in  Perth  involved  a  lodging  all  the 
week  in  the  house  of  a  stranger,  whereas  the  garden 
where  I  proposed  to  learn  the  craft  was  less  than  a 
mile  distant  from  my  father's  door.  (3)  A  decided 
contempt  for  money-making — a  judgment  which  at 
that  age  I  had  deliberately  formed,  and  which  was  a 
potential  principle  of  action.  Food  and  clothing, 
open  air  and  freedom  to  breathe  it,  absence  from  evil 
company,  and  opportunity  to  read  a  book  and  enjoy  a 
solitary  walk, — these  things  I  counted  sufficient,  and 
silently  set  aside  all  the  prudential  considerations  of 


42  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 


my  friends.  My  father's  consent  was  obtained.  The 
engagement  was  made,  and  I  entered  most  joyfully 
on  the  duties  of  my  office,  I  think  at  Martinmas 
(November  11th)  1824,  when  I  was  precisely  sixteen 
years  of  age. 

The  gardener,  my  master,  was  a  man  of  slim, 
feeble  body  ;  very  bashful  and  awkward  in  manners, 
yet  abundantly  cheerful  when  he  felt  at  home.  His 
mind  was  one  of  limited  range ;  but  he  was  com- 
petent, if  not  very  skilful,  in  his  business,  and  very 
careful  of  details."  He  was  a  native  of  Aberdeen- 
shire, and  retained  the  peculiar  dialect  of  that  county. 
His  wife  had  long  been  a  notable  of  the  village. 
After  many  years  of  courtship,  and  when  she  began 
to  despair  of  a  better  match,  she  at  last  accepted  the 
hand  of  Peter  Morrison  the  gardener,  and  became 
the  lady  of  a  sprightly  two-storied  house,  situated 
in  the  square  of  Forgandenny,  and  appropriated  as 
the  residence  of  the  gardener,  for  the  time  being, 
of  the  lord  of  the  manor.  Mrs.  Morrison  was  of  a 
more  masculine  disposition  than  her  husband.  She 
retained  considerable  beauty  of  countenance,  and 
elegance  of  form.  A  great  deal  of  the  sarcastic 
mingled  with  other  qualities  of  her  mind.  She  de- 
lighted to  contend  in  sallies  of  wit  with  the  clever 
men  of  the  neighbourhood.  When  I  remember  the 
firm  brow,  the  rolling  eye,  the  sarcastic  smile,  the 
deep-toned,  tuneful  voice  of  that  woman,  I  think 
with  education  and  opportunity  she  might  have 
shone   on   a   loftier   stage   and   in   a   wider   sphere. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  43 

They  had  several  children.  The  senior  apprentice 
in  office  before  me  was  James  Paton,  son  of  a 
labourer  in  the  village,  whom  I  remember  as  a 
schoolfellow,  a  little  older  than  myself,  when  I  was 
not  seven  years  of  age.  Paton  inherited  from  his 
father  a  mind  of  considerably  more  than  average 
power.  He  had  obtained  the  ordinary  education  of 
boys  in  his  station  of  life  at  the  parish  school.  He 
could  read  and  write,  and  had  made  some  progress 
in  arithmetic.  His  moral  character  was  excellent. 
He  was  entirely  sober.  Indeed,  his  life  and  language 
were  most  blameless.  This  was  a  great  means  of 
safety  to  me.  His  temper  was  a  little  inclined  to 
the  pettish ;  but  that  inconvenience  was  a  mere  drop 
in  the  bucket,  when  compared  with  the  solid  excel- 
lences of  his  character,  and  the  blamelessness  of  his 
life.  It  gave  me  great  pleasure,  long  afterwards,  in 
1836,  to  obtain  a  comfortable  situation  for  him  as 
gardener  to  Mr.  Brown,  of  Kilmardinny,  in  whose 
family  I  was  tutor.  He  remained  in  it,  I  think, 
about  seven  years.  Again,  recently,  about  two  or 
three  years  ago,  I  applied  on  his  behalf  to  James 
Ewing  of  Levenside,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  for 
him  the  situation  ot  gardener,  which  he  still  retains. 
The  master  and  two  apprentices  did  all  the  work 
of  the  garden,  assisted  by  labourers  in  the  rougher 
departments  and  busier  seasons.  The  labour  was 
often  heavy ;  but  I  was  in  good  health,  and  lived 
in  great  happiness. 

The  walk  to  my  work  in  the  morning,  and  home 


44  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

again  at  night,  was  peculiarly  pleasant.  Throughout 
its  whole  extent  it  lay  through  secluded  avenues. 
It  gratified  and  fostered  a  love  of  retirement  and 
meditation.  My  love  of  nature,  which  was  consider- 
able, obtained  its  fullest  gratification.  During  that 
formative  period  of  my  life,  between  sixteen  and 
twenty,  the  natural  bent  of  my  mind  was  not 
thwarted  but  cherished.  The  occupation  of  my 
youth,  I  have  no  doubt,  contributed,  if  not  to  form, 
at  least  to  fix  and  strengthen  the  habit  which  has 
adhered  to  me  through  life,  of  making  direct  obser- 
vation for  myself  of  things  as  they  lie  in  nature, 
and  applying  them  immediately  to  the  subject  in 
hand.  If  I  had  in  youth  been  thrown  more  into 
contact  with  men  and  human  art,  probably  the 
native  tendency  of  my  mind  would  have  been 
checked,  and  my  intellectual  characteristics  consider- 
ably modified.  It  is  all  well ;  and  I  delight  to 
recognise  a  gracious  providence  directing  and  over- 
ruling my  somewhat  childish  aversion  to  be  absent 
at  night  from  my  father's  house. 

Soon  after  entering  on  my  new  engagement,  I 
waited  upon  Mr.  Willison,  the  ministei-,  with  the 
view  of  being  admitted  to  the  communion  of  the 
church.  Mr.  Willison's  method  of  treating  young 
people  was  very  faithful,  and  yet  very  kind.  It  was 
commonly  said  that  he  was  harsh.  I  am  satisfied 
that  this  opinion  was  the  result  of  mere  ignorance, 
or  ungodliness,  or  both  together.  He  treated  me  as 
one   should  do   who  believed  for  himself  the  truth 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY.  45 

as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  tried  to  keep  me  from  self- 
deception  in  the  gravest  of  all  concerns.  He  took 
pains  with  me.  Without  absolutely  prohibiting  me 
from  access  at  that  time  to  the  Lord's  table,  he 
advised  me  to  delay.  I  accepted  his  advice.  The 
proposal  for  delay  included  an  invitation  to  visit 
him  once  a  fortnight  through  the  summer.  This  I 
agreed  to,  and  to  a  considerable  extent  carried  out. 
I  cannot  now  record  the  particulars  of  his  instruc- 
tions, but  I  know  that  I  felt  the  benefit  of  them  at 
the  time,  and  long  after.  My  mind  did  not  resent 
his  strictness.  I  had  the  clearest  testimony  of  my 
own  judgment  that  he  was  right.  The  ministry  of 
that  good  man  has  certainly  been  producing  fruit 
since  his  departure. 

He  was  not  permitted  to  see  a  revival  on  an 
extensive  scale  ;  but  not  a  few  who  received  their 
earliest  impressions  under  his  ministry  are  now 
walking  in  the  light. 

My  mind  made  some  progress  in  spiritual  under- 
standing, but  there  was  a  great  conflict  between  the 
claims  of  Christ  and  the  claims  of  pleasure.  One 
thing  I  ought  to  record  with  unmeasured  thankfulness, 
that  the  enemy  in  that  conflict  never  got  the  advan- 
tage over  me  which  results  from  actual  indulgence 
in  vice.  1  am  well  aware  that  there  may  be,  to  a 
great  extent,  the  abstinence  from  vice,  where  Christ 
is  not  permitted  to  dwell  in  the  heart  by  faith ;  but 
I  am  most  firmly  convinced  that  every  defilement  of 
the  conscience  by  actual  guilt  strengthens  the  adver- 


46  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

sary's  hold,  and  diminishes  the  power  of  resistance. 
The  conflict  in  my  experience  was  hard  enough  ;  and 
I  thank  God  now  that  elements  were  not  permitted 
to  enter  which  would  have  made  it  tenfold  harder — 
that  such  giant  lusts  as  drunkenness  and  licentious- 
ness were  kept  at  bay  without  the  camp,  and  never 
obtained  the  advantage  of  actual  possession.  One 
touch  of  defilement  on  the  conscience  corrodes  the 
very  sinews  of  the  combatant's  strength.  The  vain 
thoughts — the  pleasures  of  sense — the  dislike  of 
seriousness — these  and  a  multitude  of  other  sins 
maintained  within  me  the  conflict  against  the  truth. 
But  at  this  hour  I  rejoice  with  trembling  that  their 
power  was  not  then  reinforced  by  those  lusts,  which, 
besides  presenting  enticements  to  the  spirit,  lay  hold 
of  the  body,  and  drag  down  the  man  by  all  the  force 
of  natural  laws. 

My  way  of  living  was  very  simple,  yet  very  suffi- 
cient. I  carried  with  me  in  the  morning  a  small  tin 
flagon  full  of  milk.  We  began  work  at  six  o'clock. 
At  nine  we  went  to  breakfast.  In  the  cottage  of  old 
George  Bruce,  in  the  village,  I  kept  a  stock  of  oat- 
meal, replenished  from  month  to  month.  At  nine 
o'clock  every  morning,  his  daughter  Nelly  or  Betty, 
as  the  case  might  be,  had  water  boiling  on  a  comfort- 
able fire.  Sitting  on  an  arm-chair  at  one  side,  while 
old  George  occupied  another  opposite  me,  I  made 
and  swallowed  my  brose  in  so  short  a  space,  that 
George,  who  liked  a  social  meal,  complained,  "  Laddie, 
I  never  saw  the  like  o'  you ;  ye  mak'  your  meat,  and 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY.  47 

eat  it,  the  time  I  am  setting  my  plate  richt  on  my 
knee."  Experience  made  the  hand  very  sure  in 
determining  the  proper  quantity  of  meal,  and  salt, 
and  hot  water  ;  and  three  hours'  toil  without  having 
tasted  food,  made  the  appetite  wondrously  sharp. 
Then  as  to  dinner,  there  was  no  variation ;  a  bit  of 
bread  brought  with  me  in  the  morning,  or  bought 
in  the  village,  and  the  remainder  of  the  flagon  of 
milk.  The  shelter  of  a  tree,  or,  in  colder  weather, 
"the  shed"  in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  served  for 
dining-room. 

George  Bruce  was  a  curiosity  in  his  way.  At  that 
time  he  was  about  eighty  years  of  age.  He  had  been 
a  carpenter  in  his  day,  but  in  his  old  age  he  was 
enabled  to  live  in  comfort  without  toil.  A  son  in  the 
United  States  supplied  his  necessities.  He  had  a 
comfortable  cottage,  which  his  two  daughters  kept 
always  in  a  state  of  extra  cleanliness.  George  liked 
a  dram,  and  might  have  indulged  too  freely,  had  it 
not  been  for  the  influence  of  his  daughters,  who  affec- 
tionately and  carefully  watched  him  and  kept  him 
out  of  harm's  way.  He  had  a  strong  will  and  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  intellectual  acuteness ;  but  his 
information  was  very  limited.  He  had  a  curious 
system  of  cosmogony,  which  he  maintained  with 
great  energy  against  all  opposers.  He  conceded  the 
sphericity  of  the  earth,  and  explained  that  it  is  like 
an  apple  swimming  in  water — one-half  above  the 
surface,  the  other  half  below.  The  sun  is  in  a  cer- 
tain  part   of  the   sky.     In   summer,  the   terrestrial 


48  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

apple,  on  the  upper  sides  of  which  we  adhere,  in- 
clines gradually  towards  the  sun,  as  a  boat  does 
when  the  weight  is  brought  to  one  side.  When  it 
has  reached  its  maximum  of  inclination  in  one  direc- 
tion, the  immersed  side  begins  to  rise  and  the  oppo- 
site side  to  dip.  When  I  suggested,  as  a  conclusive 
objection  to  his  theory,  that  navigators  have  actually 
sailed  round  the  globe,  he  was  ready  with  a  trium- 
phant answer — "  They  have  sailed  round  this  way  " 
(making  a  circle  horizontally  with  his  hand)  ;  "  but 
if  they  had  attempted  to  sail  that  way  "  (now  waiv- 
ing his  hand  in  a  circle  vertically),  "  they  would  have 
gone  beneath  the  water  and  been  drowned."  I 
endeavoured  to  convey  to  him  the  idea  of  the  globe 
revolving  round  the  sun  in  space ;  but  as  soon  as  he 
caught  a  glimmer  of  what  I  would  be  at,  he  inter- 
rupted me  with  a  vehement  interrogation — "  Will  ye 
contradict  the  Scriptures  o'  truth,  laddie?  will  ye 
contradict  the  Scriptures  o'  truth?  Dinna  ye  read, 
'  Thou  hast  laid  the  foundations  thereof  in  the 
waters'?  "  There  was  no  arguing  against  this,  so  I 
gave  up  the  contest.  The  old  man  cherished  sound 
principles,  and  had  many  good  points  of  character; 
but  he  was  very  dogmatical.  He  lived  a  number  of 
years  after  that  time. 

William  Paton,  the  father  of  my  fellow  apprentice, 
was  another  notable  character  in  the  village.  He 
had  very  considerable  power  of  reflection ;  his  mind 
was  of  a  speculative  cast;  his  information,  though 
limited  by  his  position  and  occupation,  was  greatly 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  49 


beyond  that  of  his  fellow-labourers.  There  was  a 
dash  of  childishness,  however,  which  prevented  him 
from  reaping  the  benefit  of  his  talents ;  he  did  not 
succeed  so  well  in  the  world  as  his  neighbours  who 


\-ij 


were  much  his  inferiors  in  understanding.  In  his  old 
age  he  fell  into  a  kind  of  fatuous  state,  and  lay  in 
bed  for  many  years,  at  first  without  adequate 
physical  cause,  but  latterly  he  was  as  unable  as 
unwilling  to  set  his  feet  beneath  him.  I  have  seen 
many  instances  in  various  ranks  of  life,  of  high 
degrees  of  intellectual  capacity  proving  entirely  in- 
adequate to  elevate  then-  possessor,  when  there  was 
not  a  controlling  positive  religious  faith.  William 
Paton  was  correct  in  his  moral  conduct,  as  well  as 
endowed  with  great  natural  capacity.  He  cherished, 
moreover,  sound  religious  principles.  He  seemed  to 
lack  only  one  thing :  if  there  had  been  the  love  of 
Christ  constraining  him,  the  defect  would  have  been 
remedied ;  he  would  have  had  an  aim  in  lit e  sufficient 
to  call  his  faculties  into  exercise;  he  would  have 
been  useful  to  himself  and  to  others.  Perhaps,  as 
is  often  the  case,  there  was  a  radical  intellectual 
defect  co-existing  with  superior  development  of 
some  faculties. 

Leezie  Chalmers  occupies  a  large  place  in  my 
memory  as  a  personage  in  the  village.  She  was 
a  tall,  reverend,  dignified  old  woman.  She  had  a 
habitual  gravity  in  her  countenance,  but  withal 
great  gentleness  and  good  humour.  In  earlier  life 
shu  had  been  under  confinement  on  account  of 
D 


50  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

aberration  of  mind.  From  the  time  I  knew  her, 
however,  she  was  fully  wiser  than  any  of  her 
neighbours.  She  was  an  ardent  disciple  of  Jesus. 
What  a  refinement  had  the  Gospel  impressed  upon 
that  poor  old  solitary  woman !  Leezie  and  I  never 
failed  to  have  a  conversation  when  we  met.  Much 
more  than  most  women  in  small  villages,  she  care- 
fully bridled  her  tongue.  One  evening  I  was 
expatiating  to  Leezie  on  the  beauty  and  peace- 
fulness  of  the  village  and  the  happiness  of  its 
inhabitants.  Thinking  I  had  drawn  a  picture 
rather  too  bright  of  the  peace  and  contentment 
which  reigned  among  the  families,  and  yet  careful 
not  to  utter  a  harsh  word  against  any  one,  she 
said, — "  'Deed,  William,  there's  honest  folk  an'  ither 
folk  an'  a'  in  Forgan,  as  weel  as  ither  gates." 
Leezie,  with  all  her  gentleness,  had  in  her  own 
mind  tacitly  divided  the  people  into  two  classes — 
the  one  class  she  called  "honest  folk,"  the  other 
class — with  an  arch  mixture  of  faithfulness  and 
tenderness — she  denominated  "ither  folk." 

I  have  many  things  on  my  memory  appertaining 
to  the  period  of  my  employment  as  a  gardener  at 
Freeland,  although  I  cannot  now  arrange  them  in 
order  of  their  dates.  I  shall  record  some  of  them  as 
they  occur. 

I  must  take  some  note  of  the  steps  by  which  I  was 
enabled  to  break  off  from  all  participation  in  the  con- 
vivial habits  of  the  country.  In  rural  districts  these 
were  not  much  better  than  in  large  cities.     A  cun- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  51 

ningly  devised  net  is  spread  round  the  rustic  youth, 
calculated,  as  far  as  possible,  to  make  drunkards  of 
them  all.  I  have  already  noted  the  event  which 
became  the  turning-point  of  entire  personal  sobriety. 
After  that  time,  to  the  best  of  my  remembrance,  I 
never  made  any  approach  to  excess ;  but  a  desperate 
struggle  yet  lay  before  me  before  I  could  emancipate 
myself  from  the  bondage  of  recognised  drinking 
usages.  In  this  struggle  I  was  mainly  indebted  to 
the  wise  counsel  and  kind  treatment  of  my  father. 
He  took  every  suitable  opportunity  of  pointing  out 
to  me  that  wise  men  would  not  think  less  of  me 
although  I  should  entirely  renounce  social  meetings 
where  strong  drink  was  introduced.  If  there  was  a 
singing  class  in  the  village,  it  must  be  concluded  in 
the  public-house ;  if  there  was  an  apprentice  engaged 
to  any  handicraft,  the  fact  must  be  accomplished 
amid  midnight  potations.  I  had  no  relish  for  the 
practice ;  I  had  an  absolute  dislike  of  the  beverage  in 
use;  but  it  was  considered  mean  and  unmanly  not 
to  join  the  company.  This  was  like  an  arrow  in  my 
flesh.  I  had  no  pleasure  in  the  prospect  ot  any  of 
those  interesting  events  that  varied  the  monotony 
of  village  society.  Either  I  must  go  with  my  com- 
panions to  a  finale  at  the  alehouse,  suffering,  mean- 
while, from  an  inward  self-condemnation,  and  hearing 
next  day  the  grave  advice  or  sarcastic  playfulness 
of  my  father,  when,  conscious  that  he  was  right,  I 
could  not  answer  a  word;  or  I  absented  myselt 
from  the    revel,  and    endured    the    agony   of  being 


52  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

counted  a  low-spirited  fellow  by  the  young  men,  and 
young  women  too,  of  the  neighbourhood.  While  I 
write,  it  is  easy  for  me  to  make  light  of  that  opinion ; 
but  then,  situated  as  I  was,  it  was  public  opinion  to 
me,  and  a  very  great  effort  was  required  to  resist  it. 
With  my  information  and  experience  now,  even 
apart  from  religious  principle,  it  were  easy  to  laugh 
to  scorn  the  taunts  of  all  the  spruce  young  men  in  a 
rural  parish;  but  to  one  of  themselves,  who  stands 
out  as  a  target,  the  array  of  these  young  men  is 
terrible,  and  their  onset  is  generally  overpowering. 
In  the  present  day,  any  youth  who  dares  to  resist, 
has  a  most  effective  support  at  hand,  in  the  members 
and  the  publications  of  abstinence  societies,  but  these 
auxiliaries  were  not  in  the  field  when  I  was  called 
to  fight  the  battle.  However,  I  gratefully  record 
that  as  a  support  at  home  my  father  was  a  host 
in  himself.  It  was  not  merely  the  excess  that  he 
blamed ;  he  opposed  the  drinking  customs  root  and 
branch. 

On  the  occasion  of  my  own  formal  dedication  to 
the  craft,  which  took  place  perhaps  a  year  after  I 
had  actually  commenced  it  practically,  I  obtained  a 
telling  lesson.  The  foolish  ceremonies  attendant 
upon  initiation  were  conducted  at  a  garden  some 
miles  distant,  and  the  adjournment  took  place  to  the 
public-house  of  the  contiguous  village.  There  were 
not  many  present — about  seven  or  eight  in  all.  A 
sort  of  dance,  with  intervals  for  drinking,  was  kept 
up  till  a  far  advanced  hour  in  the  morning.     I  was 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  53 

very  miserable  all  the  time,  but  being  the  subject 
operated  upon  on  the  occasion,  it  would  have  been  an 
unpardonable  breach  of  decorum  to  have  retired.  I 
don't  think  any  one  enjoyed  it.  None  of  the  young 
persons  present  were  in  any  degree  dissipated ;  they 
acted  in  a  blind  compliance  with  custom.  Their 
own  inclination  had  nothing  to  do  with  it.  When  at 
last  we  separated,  all  were  perfectly  sober.  There 
had  been  indeed  no  approach  to  excess  of  any  kind. 
I  wandered  home  in  daylight  next  morning.  I  re- 
mained to  breakfast  with  the  family.  Having  got  no 
sleep,  as  the  morning  advanced  I  became  drowsy.  At 
an  interval  of  eating  I  fell  asleep  on  my  chair  at  the 
breakfast  table.  When  I  awoke,  I  looked  exceedingly 
awkward.  The  other  members  of  the  family  were 
disposed  to  laugh.  My  father  regarded  me  with  one 
of  his  looks  in  which  stern  rebuke  and  sarcastic  rail- 
lery were  strangely  mingled.  He  seized  his  oppor- 
tunity and  dealt  his  blow.  "  Oh  man,  Willie,  Mistress 
Lennox  (the  wife  of  the  innkeeper)  will  be  eatin'  a 
fine  fat  breakfast  this  morning  aff  your  siller."  My 
judgment  was  all  on  his  side.  I  saw  and  felt  deeply 
the  absolute  idiocy  of  my  conduct.  This  was  a  turn- 
ing point.  My  step-mother  soothed  me,  and  adminis- 
tered as  much  comfort  as  a  plentiful  warm  breakfast 
contained,  while  my  father,  knowing  where  he  had  a 
hold  of  me,  plied  my  judgment,  and  fast  deepened 
into  a  fixed  principle  the  determination  to  act  no 
more  the  part  of  a  fool.  This  was  the  turning  point 
as  to  the  internal  judgment  and  resolve.    I  remember 


54  A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 

equally  well  the  event  which  constituted  the  practical 
pivot  on  which  I  turned  round,  and  turoed  my  back 
for  ever  on  convivial  drinking  parties.  It  was  the 
initiation  of  a  junior  apprentice  who  had  succeeded 
James  Paton  in  our  garden.  The  ceremony  was  con- 
ducted within  our  own  walls  by  some  young  men  from 
a  neighbouring  parish.  I  made  all  the  arrangements 
for  them,  and  kept  watch  to  prevent  the  approach  of 
intruders  ;  but  I  had  begun  then  to  have  serious 
scruples  regarding  the  lawfulness,  in  a  religious  sense 
of  the  whole  proceeding.  I  now  condemn  absolutely 
the  whole  affair,  as  an  unnecessary  and  therefore  pro- 
fane use  of  sacred  things.  It  was  understood  that 
the  party  were  to  adjourn  immediately  to  the  public 
house.  There  was  no  express  agreement,  because  no 
one  thought  it  necessary.  It  was  assumed.  I  nursed 
my  purpose  in  secret,  but  I  did  not  venture  to  make 
it  known.  I  took  care  not  to  promise  that  I  would 
go,  and  also  not  to  intimate  my  intention  of  being 
absent.  There  was  a  near  road  from  the  garden  to 
the  tavern  by  leaping  a  Avail.  The  whole  party 
leaped  the  wall,  and  made  direct  for  the  rendezvous. 
It  was  necessary  that  I  should  go  round  the  garden 
and  lock  the  doors  for  the  night.  Certain  doors  I 
locked  inside.  When  I  came  to  the  last,  I  hurriedly 
opened  it,  turned  the  key  from  the  outside,  and  ran 
off  along  the  avenue  towards  my  fathers  as  if  a  gang 
of  robbers  had  been  chasing  me.  I  never  halted  till 
I  reached  home.  The  deed  was  done.  1  experienced 
no  difficulty  in  avoiding  the  tavern  after  that  day.     I 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY.  55 

had  broken  the  rules  of  their  chivalry.  I  was  no 
longer  bothered  with  their  solicitations.  Before  that 
period  I  had  ceased  to  care  for  the  tipplers,  but  then 
an  additional  advantage  was  achieved — the  tipplers 
ceased  to  care  for  me.  Ever  since  1  have  lived  in 
perfect  freedom.  The  drinking  usages  have  had  no 
power  over  me.  I  was  enabled  then  to  burst  their 
bonds,  but  it  cost  me  a  violent  effort ;  and,  alas  !  many 
who  possessed  not  my  advantages  have  been  held 
fast.  I  have  a  great  quarrel  with  the  drinking  cus- 
toms. I  utterly  loathe  them.  I  do  what  I  can  to 
destroy  them  root  and  branch. 

During  the  period  of  my  apprenticeship,  while  in- 
dividual transgressions  in  thought,  word,  and  deed 
were  a  legion  not  to  be  numbered,  there  were  three 
heads  or  classes  which,  if  not  more  guilty  in  God's 
sight  than  others,  are  more  bulky  in  my  own  memory 
now.  (1)  A  very  great  part  of  my  time,  while  engaged 
at  work  with  others,  was  spent  in  useless,  vain  conver- 
sation. Much  of  our  work  was  of  such  a  kind  that, 
while  it  was  going  on,  we  could  talk  together  almost 
as  well  as  if  we  had  not  been  employed  at  all.  There 
was  much  opportunity  of  doing  good  to  each  other. 
I  remember  some  instances  of  useful  themes,  but  the 
great  bulk  of  the  conversation  was  frivolous  in  the 
extreme.  (2)  During  the  fruit  season  we  took  ad- 
vantage of  our  master's  absence,  and  helped  ourselves 
largely  to  the  fruit,  not  only  to  eat  on  the  spot,  but 
also  to  carry  home.  We  excused  ourselves  after  a 
fashion,  by  observing  that  no  person  was  injured  by 


56  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

what  we  did.  The  fruit  was  falling  to  the  ground  and 
wasting.  We  thought  the  master  gardener  ought 
to  have  expressly  given  us  liberty  to  appropriate  it ; 
but  he  did  not.  I  suppose  he  knew  what  we  did, 
and  winked  at  it.  But  the  habit  was  most  injurious 
to  us.  If  we  did  no  injury  to  Lord  Ruthven,  the 
proprietor  of  the  fruit,  we  did  injury  to  our  own  con- 
sciences by  taking  what  was  not  our  own.  It  would 
have  been  wisdom  in  the  person  intrusted  with  the 
charge  had  he  expressly  given  us  leave  to  help  our- 
selves, as  far  as  the  interests  of  his  superior  would 
admit ;  but,  seeing  that  he  did  not  do  this,  we  should 
never  have  appropriated  any  by  stealth.  (3)  I  often 
turned  aside  on  my  way  home  to  visit  certain  families 
of  our  neighbours,  where  there  were  young  people 
whose  society  was  pleasant  to  me,  and  when  ques- 
tioned at  home  as  to  the  reason  of  my  being  later 
than  usual,  gave  equivocal  answers  in  order  to  con- 
ceal the  truth.  In  these  cases,  it  was  not  any  con- 
sciousness of  having  been  in  improper  company,  or  in 
improper  employment,  for  I  was  not :  it  was  uniformly 
a  bashfulness,  which  made  me  stand  greatly  in  dread 
of  rallying  by  the  other  members  of  the  family,  if 
they  should  discover  in  what  direction  the  attractions 
lay.  The  truth  is,  throughout  my  youth  I  was  very 
susceptible.  I  formed  many  an  attachment  to  girls 
of  my  own  age  and  standing.  I  liked  to  chat  with 
them  on  a  summer  evening,  and  I  was  terribly  afraid 
lest  this  penchant  should  be  suspected  at  home.  I 
allowed  this  to  drive  me  into  answers  which   con- 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  57 

cealed  the  truth,  when  the  truth  might  have  been 
told  without  dishonour. 

Some  time  during  the  winter  1825-1826,  James 
Paton  and  I  began  the  study  of  the  Latin  tongue. 
It  was  entirely  new  to  me.  He  had  dipped  a  little 
into  the  rudiments  when  a  boy  at  school.  The  parish 
schoolmaster,  Mr.  Low,  very  willingly  and  kindly 
agreed  to  give  us  a  lesson  on  certain  evenings  of  the 
week.  We  learned  the  rudiments,  and  were  reading 
a  little, — 1  think  of  Eutropius,  when  we  nagged  and 
gave  over.  My  motive  in  the  first  instance,  so  far  as 
I  remember,  was  partly  to  facilitate  the  study  of 
botany,  and  so  obtain  advancement  in  my  profession, 
and  partly  a  general  appetite  for  additional  know- 
ledge, in  conjunction  with  a  rising  consciousness  of 
capacity  to  attain  it.  My  progress  was  interrupted 
by  the  defection  of  Paton,  who,  though  quite  capable 
of  learning,  had  no  motive  in  action  sufficient  to 
impel  him  forward.  The  class  could  not  be  kept  up 
for  me  alone.  Soon  after,  the  study  was  resumed 
under  the  impulse  of  a  new  motive,  which  enabled 
me  to  dispense  with  the  aid  of  a  master. 

The  great  ruling  event  of  my  youth — the  event 
which  by  sovereign  wisdom  was  made  the  pivot 
on  which  my  life  and  character  turned,  was  the  long 
illness  and  death  of  my  only  brother. 

I  think  it  must  have  been  sometime  in  1825  that 
he  was  obliged  finally  to  leave  his  employment,  and 
came  home  an  invalid.  He  had  grown  up  to  man- 
hood, with  many  qualities  fitted  to  gain  the  esteem  of 


58  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

his  fellows.  His  personal  appearance  was  handsome. 
His  manners  were  refined  and  gentle.  He  possessed 
a  considerable  measure  of  mechanical  genius.  At  a 
time  when  the  possibility  of  using  inflammable  gas 
was  known  only  to  the  scientific  few,  he  successfully 
erected  an  apparatus  out  of  very  rude  materials, 
and  many  made  a  pilgrimage  to  see  the  magic  jet 
which  he  kept  burning  on  his  table.  His  education 
at  school  was  the  best  that  the  country  afforded, 
and  he  afterwards  greatly  enlarged  the  sphere  of 
his  information.  He  was  frolicsome  and  social,  yet 
in  all  respects  retained  purity  of  conduct.  He  was 
a  favourite,  in  every  circle.  He  had  gained  the 
entire  confidence  of  his  employer,  and  the  respect 
of  all  his  compeers.     He  was  very  greatly  beloved. 

From  his  childhood  he  had  been  delicate.  He  had 
more  frequent  ailments  than  any  other  one  of  the 
family ;  but  these,  as  far  as  I  am  now  able  to  judge, 
were  merely  so  many  fruits  of  dyspepsia.  His  health 
seemed  to  improve  as  he  approached  manhood. 
About  this  time  a  new  ailment  very  gradually  began 
to  show  itself,  in  the  form  of  a  paralysis  of  the  limbs. 
He  could  not  tell  the  day  on  which  it  began,  so 
imperceptible  were  its  approaches.  His  general 
health  continued  good  ;  his  appearance  was  in  no 
way  altered ;  but  that  benumbed  and  powerless 
state  of  the  extremities  steadily  advanced,  till  it 
was  found  necessary  that  he  should  come  home. 

When  he  returned,  after  an  interval,  to  be  an  in- 
mate of  the  paternal  dwelling,  he  was  a  most  cheerful, 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  59 

entertaining,  attractive  companion ;  and  yet  a  mys- 
terious disease  was  creeping  over  him,  calculated 
to  solemnize  both  himself  and  the  rest  of  the  family. 
The  effect  on  me  of  these  combined  causes  was  to 
keep  me  at  my  spare  hours  constantly  at  home ;  and 
to  make  the  home  influence  serious  and  useful  as 
well  as  pleasant. 

The  disease  seemed  to  be  seated  in  the  spine,  and 
for  a  long  time  nothing  was  affected  except  the  limbs. 
His  mind  was  very  active  ;  and  whatever  required  the 
exertion  of  the  hands  and  arms  he  could  do  as  well 
as  formerly.  His  lameness  even  was  at  first  partial ; 
he  could  walk  with  a  trailing  sort  of  motion,  liable  at 
times  to  a  fall,  on  account  of  sudden  starts  in  the 
limbs,  which  he  could  not  control.  Pains  were  taken 
to  get  the  best  medical  advice.  Many  applications 
were  tried,  but  no  remedy  ever  seemed  so  much  as  to 
check  the  disease.  At  one  time  during  the  course  of 
it,  my  father,  by  the  urgent  advice  of  the  minis- 
ter, sent  him  to  the  Infirmary  in  Edinburgh,  that 
the  benefit  of  the  greatest  experience  might  be 
obtained.  It  was  all  of  no  avail ;  slowly  but  steadily 
the  ailment  proceeded,  more  and  more  completely 
paralysing  the  limbs,  and  latterly  telling  with  effect 
on  his  general  health. 

Thus,  in  Providence,  a  companion  was  provided  for 
me.  We  laid  all  our  plans  together.  If  wicker- 
baskets  were  to  be  made,  I  procured  and  brought 
home  the  material,  and  his  greater  skill  and  leisure 
were  available  for   the  work.     One  precious  lesson 


60  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

I  got  from  him  on  this  very  matter,  which  I 
have  never  forgotten,  and  have  often  used.  At  his 
request  I  engaged  to  bring  home  for  him  in  the 
evening  certain  rods  of  young  ash  for  making 
the  bows  of  a  basket.  I  returned  at  the  usual  hour, 
and  on  being  asked  for  the  promised  rods,  replied 
with  a  sorrow,  certainly  not  feigned,  that  I  had  for- 
got them.  "  Don't  call  it  forget,"  said  my  brother 
gently,  but  seriously  ;  "  if  you  had  been  caring  about 
the  matter,  you  would  have  remembered  it."  If  he 
were  engaged  in  transferring  impressions  of  rose 
leaves  to  paper  by  means  of  lamp  smoke  and  oil, 
his  imitation  of  lithography — his  efforts  during  the 
day  were  arranged  and  submitted  to  me  for  criti- 
cism in  the  evening.  In  like  manner,  if  his  mood 
were  to  write  verses,  which  he  sometimes  did  with 
considerable  success,  my  judgment  was  the  high- 
est available  tribunal  to  which  they  could  be  sub- 
jected. Such  an  office  had  an  elevating  effect  upon 
me ;  I  felt  that  I  was  of  some  importance.  The  mind 
was  exercised  on  higher  matters  than  my  daily 
labour,  and  was  improved  by  the  exercise.  The 
topics  that  occurred  in  our  reading  were  discussed, 
and  we  acquired  the  habit  of  forming  our  own 
opinion  on  every  subject  that  came  before  us.  In 
the  summer,  if  he  wished  to  be  taken  to  the  river, 
or  to  the  woods,  I  took  him  in  my  arms  as  a  nurse 
takes  a  child,  while  he  held  by  my  neck,  and  away 
we  went  together,  to  sail  about  in  a  fishing  boat, 
or  lie   on  a   grassy   bank,  basking   in  the   softened 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY.  61 


rays  of  an  evening  sun.  Of  all  the  miscellaneous 
books  that  fell  in  his  way,  Cowper's  Poems  was 
his  favourite.  At  one  period  he  tried  to  learn 
Latin  under  my  instructions,  but  he  soon  became 
convinced  that  he  had  not  so  great  faculty  as  I 
had  in  that  exercise,  and  abandoned  it.  His  mind 
was  well  stored  with  general  information,  and  he 
had  a  good  faculty  for  observing  profitably  events 
and  objects.  Though  eminently  gentle  in  his  man- 
ner he  easily  glided  into  the  place  of  authority  in 
any  little  circle.  I  think,  had  he  survived,  he  would 
have  attained  eminence  in  some  walk  of  life.  He 
was  not  born  to  be  in  a  subordinate  position.  His 
mind  was  certainly  fitted  to  take  its  own  course 
and  lead  others. 

His  religious  progress  was,  in  a  great  measure, 
a  secret  in  his  own  heart ;  but  we  could  all  easily 
see,  by  its  fruits,  that  the  new  life  was  there,  and 
steadily  growing.  Very  much  insight  is  obtained 
into  the  character  of  the  struggle  that  took  place, 
from  one  feature  of  his  experience,  which  he  narrated 
to  me  a  short  time  before  his  death.  "  I  thought," 
said  he,  "  that  God  would  not  receive  me  in  my 
illness,  because  I  had  not  yielded  myself  to  him 
when  I  was  well.  I  felt  inclined,  when  I  was  smitten 
by  an  incurable  disease,  to  take  God  in  Christ  for 
my  portion  ;  but  I  was  kept  back  by  the  suspicion 
that  I  would  be  rejected  with  upbraiding,  because  I 
was  conscious  that  as  long  as  life  went  well,  I  kept 
away  from  God,  and  only  now  proposed  to  be  His 


62  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

■when  I  had  nothing  else  to  cling  to.  I  was  taught, 
however,  at  last,  that  though  it  is  true  that  I  did 
not  come  to  Him  until  my  idols  were  all  destroyed, 
and  I  had  nothing  else  to  cling  to,  although,  conse- 
quently /  deserved  to  be  rejected  with  upbraiding,  yet 
God  is  not  like  man,  and  does  not  deal  with  us 
according  to  our  deserts.  I  learned  further  that  it 
is  of  sovereign  free  grace  alone  that  any  sinner  is 
drawn  and  accepted,  whether  he  be  gently  led  to 
Jesus  in  youth,  when  all  is  going  well,  or  only 
driven  to  the  Saviour  by  the  closing  of  every  other 
door.  In  both  alike  it  is  the  drawing  of  the  Lord. 
In  the  one  case,  the  gently  drawn  one  has  nothing  to 
boast  of;  in  the  other  case,  the  one  who  does  not 
come  till  he  is  driven  may  come  confidently,  for  '  He 
upbraideth  not.' " 

When  the  neighbours  came  to  visit  him,  he  would 
not  bear  trifling  or  useless  conversation.  If  they,  in 
spite  of  his  hints,  persisted  in  some  envious  or  silly 
talk,  he  distinctly  told  them  to  go  home.  The  rest 
of  the  family  were  sometimes  affronted  by  his 
plainness,  yet  they  could  never  disapprove  of 
what  he  did.  He  did  what  we  all  felt  was  right, 
but  he  only  had  sufficient  courage  to  go  through 
with  it. 

Mr.  Willison  often  visited  my  brother,  but  I  was 
seldom  present,  as  his  calls  were  generally  made  at 
the  time  when  I  was  not  at  home.  By  this  time 
Mr.  Willison  was  feeble,  and  needed  the  aid  of  an 
assistant  continually.     His  assistant,  John  Johnston 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY.  C3 

by  name,  was  a  man  of  vigorous  mind  and  high 
character.  Mr.  Johnston  very  frequently  visited 
our  family.  He  was  faithful  and  affectionate.  Old 
Mr.  Forsyth,  also,  the  Secession  minister  at  Craig- 
end,  father  of  the  present  U.P.  minister  there,1  some- 
times conversed  and  prayed  with  my  brother  as  he 
passed.  Among  those  who  visited  him  with  a  view 
either  to  spiritual  instruction  or  mutual  edification, 
I  must  not  omit  the  name  of  Francis  Grant2  of  Kil- 
graston.  He  was  a  younger  son  of  a  large  landed 
proprietor  in  the  parish  of  Dumbarney.  About  this 
time  decided  religious  impressions  began  to  take 
possession  of  him  and  his  elder  brother,  the  heir  of 
the  estate.  The  immediate  occasion  was  the  illness, 
conversion,  and  death  of  one  brother  of  the  family, 
a  midshipman  in  the  navy,  at  the  island  of  St. 
Helena.  A  memoir  of  the  youth,  Robert  Grant,  is 
included  in  the  collection  called  the  Church  in  the 
Army  and  Navy.  It  was  an  instance  of  what  I  think 
is  a  very  general  law,  that  when  one  member  of 
a  family  is  converted,  the  influence  spreads  to  others. 
Francis  Grant  was,  during  the  period  of  my  brother's 
illness,  living  at  Kilgraston.  To  amuse  himself,  he 
came  often  to  the  Earn,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  our 
house,  to  fish.  He  became  much  interested  in  my 
brother.  He  sometimes  neglected  the  sport  entirely, 
and  spent  his  time  sitting  at  the  bedside.  He  con- 
versed freely  on  matters  of  spiritual  experience.     My 

1  1853.  2  Now  Sir  Francis  Grant,  P.E.A. 


64  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

brother  often  spoke  of  his  case  as  an  instance  of 
what  divine  grace  could  do  in  arresting  and  chang- 
ing the  course  of  a  wayward  youth. 

As  the  period  of  his  departure  drew  near,  my  affec- 
tion grew  into  greater  strength.  I  began  to  take 
less  and  less  interest  in  other  company  and  other 
things.  I  hastened  home,  and,  as  soon  as  I  had 
satisfied  my  hunger,  went  and  threw  myself  on  the 
bed  crossways  at  his  feet.  Then  we  talked  till  the 
time  for  retiring  to  rest.  This  was  the  training 
which  the  Father  in  heaven  saw  meet  to  put  me 
through.  In  those  evenings  a  silent  process  was 
going  on  in  my  heart,  which,  in  a  measure,  broke 
the  world's  power  over  me.  It  was  while  lying 
across  the  foot  of  my  brother's  bed  that  I  gradually 
drunk  in  the  lesson,  "  This  is  not  your  rest."  The 
effects  of  that  lesson  never  departed.  The  lesson 
was  imprinted  deep,  and  that,  too,  in  a  heart  tender 
yet  in  youth,  and  peculiarly  softened  by  love  and 
sorrow.  It  was  calculated  for  a  lifetime,  and  applied 
accordingly. 

Towards  the  close,  his  mind  was  considerably 
shaken  by  the  progress  of  the  disease.  I  remember 
how  very  poignant  was  my  grief  when  first  I  heard 
him  talking  incoherently.  This  was  a  feature  in 
the  case  which  I  had  not  counted  on.  I  was  taken 
by  surprise  when  I  found  that,  even  while  life  re- 
mained, his  mind  was  veiled  off  from  intelligent 
converse  with  us.  But,  although  this  incoherence 
came  at  times  during  the  last  three  weeks,  it  was 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  65 

not  continuous.  We  obtained  some  glimpses  of 
communion  with  his  spirit  when  the  hour  of  depar- 
ture was  drawing  near.  His  end  was  peaceful ;  but 
I  took  no  notes  at  the  time,  and  do  not  remember 
particulars  now.  Qne  thing  as  to  my  own  experience 
I  remember  well.  When  at  last  the  spirit  departed, 
all  the  family  and  the  friends  who  watched  with  us 
burst  into  tears,  the  females  crying  audibly.  I  sat 
next  the  bed,  with  my  arm  round  his  head.  When 
the  heavy  painful  breathing  suddenly  ceased,  and  all 
was  still,  I  felt  a  sensible  relief  from  the  strain  of 
sympathy  with  his  suffering.  I  was  actually  glad. 
I  did  not  weep ;  I  could  not  weep.  Not  a  tear 
moistened  my  eye  on  that  night  when  my  dearest 
earthly  treasure  was  torn  away.  The  truth  is,  I  was 
more  with  him  than  any  other — more  like  him,  too, 
in  age  and  tastes.  I  had  fully  realised  beforehand 
that  he  was  to  be  taken  from  me.  My  grief  was  not 
concentrated  on  a  point ;  my  grief  was  past.  Besides, 
I  realised  vividly  at  the  time  that  it  was  well  with 
the  departed,  as  one  of  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord.  I 
cannot  describe,  though  I  vividly  remember,  the 
blank  and  stale  appearance  that  all  things  put  on, 
when,  after  the  funeral,  I  returned  to  my  employ- 
ment, and  met  with  my  neighbours  again.  The 
world,  as  a  whole,  had  now  turned  to  me  its  dark 
side ;  it  seemed  a  wilderness.  Accordingly,  from  that 
time  I  in  a  great  measure  withdrew  from  company ; 
I  occupied  myself  in  reflection  or  with  books ;  my 
walks  were  solitary  ;  I  had  no  difficulty  now  in  keep- 
E 


66  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

ing  quite  out  of  the  way  of  other  young  people; 
indeed,  they  no  longer  expected  me  to  join  them. 
A  new  purpose  was'  forming  in  my  heart,  and  all 
things  began  to  take  their  places  and  crystallise  in 
orderly  forms  around  it.  It  was  not  a  mere  negative 
departure  from  trifling  company  and  useless  employ- 
ment ;  it  was  a  positive  aim,  forming  and  strengthen- 
ing, requiring  all  my  time  and  energies,  so  drawing 
them  effectually  away  from  other  things.  During 
my  brother's  lifetime,  I  had  frequently  spoken  with 
him  about  devoting  myself  to  the  ministry.  He 
had  encouraged  it  uniformly.  In  the  latter  period 
of  his  life  he  seriously  advised  it.  Nothing  was  deter- 
mined, however,  until  the  purpose  ripened  in  the  sad 
solitude  immediately  after  his  departure.  The  pur- 
pose, at  least  the  final  and  effective  resolution,  may 
be  said  to  be  a  fruit  that  sprang  from  his  grave. 
Before  his  death  I  had  recommenced  the  study  of 
Latin,  and  now  I  plied  my  task  in  right  earnest, 
making  considerable  progress,  and  delighting  greatly 
in  the  consciousness  of  being  usefully  and  success- 
fully employed.  From  the  end  of  May  to  the  11th 
of  November  1828,  I  prosecuted  the  study  at  the  in- 
tervals of  my  daily  labour.  Instead  of  leaving  home 
about  fifteen  minutes  before  six  in  the  morning 
as  formerly,  affording  time  to  reach  the  place  at  tiie 
appointed  time  by  a  smart  walk,  I  left  at  half-past 
five,  and  sauutered  slowly  along  the  avenue,  conning 
my  lesson  all  the  time.  I  found  the  morning  half- 
hour  very  prolific.     At  the  meal  hours  and  in  the 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  67 

evening  I  did  a  little ;  but  sometimes  the  fatigue  of 
the  labour  rendered  the  progress  slow.  Even  during 
the  hours  of  labour  I  contrived  to  learn  something. 
Digging,  which  was  one  of  our  most  laborious  occu- 
pations, became,  nevertheless,  by  a  little  management, 
a  favourable  occasion  for  learning  a  "  conjugation," 
or  a  rule  of  syntax.  The  management  was  after 
this  manner :  When  three  or  four  persons  were 
together  digging  a  large  plot  of  ground,  we  followed 
each  other  closely,  each  carrying  a  furrow  across. 
When  the  first  man  reached  the  edge  with  his 
furrow,  he  stood  aside  and  waited  till  the  others 
completed  theirs,  and  turned  with  each  a  new  one  in 
the  opposite  direction.  Then  he  who  had  arrived 
first  at  this  side,  struck  in  last  when  the  motion 
began  towards  the  other  side.  Thus,  at  each  round, 
we  obtained,  in  turn,  two  or  three  minutes  to  stand 
and  change  the  position  for  the  relief  of  the  muscles. 
I  latterly  fell  upon  the  plan  of  having  my  elementary 
books  of  Latin  or  Greek  in  my  pocket.  During  the 
moments  of  rest,  I  snatched  the  book,  ran  over  a 
tense  or  a  portion  of  whatever  might  be  in  hand,  and 
put  the  book  in  my  pocket  again  when  it  was  time 
to  move  on  again  with  a  new  furrow.  While  toiling 
across  a  field,  I  kept  conning  and  trying  the  portion 
I  had  read.  At  the  next  halting  I  corrected  the 
errors,  and  took  up  a  new  portion.  This  was  done 
without  any  prejudice  to  the  work.  I  found  in  it  a 
double  benefit.  The  memory,  in  these  circumstances, 
acted  very  freely ;  the  lesson  was  easily  learned,  and 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY. 


the  employment  cf  the  mind  on  that  subject  acted  as 
a  diversion,  greatly  lessening  the  weariness  of  the  toil. 

During  the  whole  course  of  my  private  study  I 
derived  valuable  assistance  from  Mr.  John  Morton, 
farmer  at  Gallowmoor,  and  his  brother  Andrew. 
The  education  of  that  family  was  superior  to  any- 
thing hitherto  known  in  the  neighbourhood.  Their 
father,  Mr.  Andrew  Morton,  was  a  man  of  superior 
intelligence,  and  of  most  benevolent  disposition. 
His  boys  were  all  educated  at  the  Grammar  School 
and  Academy  of  Perth.  John,  who  succeeded  to  the 
farm  on  the  death  of  his  father,  was  a  sound  and 
advanced  student,  both  in  mathematics  and  in  the 
classics.  Andrew,  the  younger,  was  a  student  of 
medicine.  It  was  my  practice  to  repair  to  the 
Gallowmoor  in  the  evening,  twice  or  thrice  every 
week,  to  submit  my  difficulties  to  Mr.  Morton.  He 
seldom  failed  to  solve  them.  It  afforded  him 
pleasure  to  revive  his  half-forgotten  lore.  I  ex- 
perienced great  benefit  from  his  modest  sug- 
gestions, and  great  kindness  from  the  whole  family. 
In  consequence  of  their  education,  there  was  much 
more  refinement  in  that  family  than  in  any  other 
to  which  I  had  familiar  access  at  that  time,  and 
the  difficulties  were  welcome  to  me  which  required 
and  excused  another  visit. 

My  term  of  service  expired  at  the  11th  November 
1828.  Before  this  time  I  had  conclusively  deter- 
mined to  abandon  my  profession,  and  commence  at 
least  a  course  of  study  with  a  view  to  the  ministry, 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY.  69 

if  it  should  be  found  possible  to  attain  it.  There 
were  indeed  many  foreign  mixtures  in  my  motives ; 
but  in  the  main,  according  to  my  best  judgment 
now,  my  aim  was  a  true  one.  I  did  desire  to  serve 
God  in  the  Gospel  of  His  Son.  As  I  grew  up  to 
manhood,  I  became  distinctly  conscious  of  a  measure 
of  mental  capacity  which  had  no  scope  for  exercise 
in  the  society  with  which  I  mingled  and  the  labour 
in  which  I  was  engaged.  My  mind  panted  for 
expansion.  It  seemed  to  feel  a  firm  footing,  and 
longed  to  bound  forth  of  the  limits  that  had  hitherto 
confined  it.  Doubtless,  there  was  pride  tinging 
the  whole  process ;  but,  on  looking  back  to  the 
time  and  circumstances,  I  recognise  the  providence 
of  God  stirring  within  me  that  consciousness  of 
capacity,  which  became  in  part  the  instrument  of 
sending  forth  another  labourer  into  His  vineyard. 
I  own  that  I  was  ashamed  sometimes  of  the 
humble  position  in  which  I  was  placed.  On  one 
occasion,  for  example,  a  young  man  of  the  name 
of  Oliphant,  son  of  my  father's  cousin,  who  had 
obtained  in  Perth  a  good  education,  and  showed  a 
genteel  bearing,  came  into  the  garden  to  see  me 
as  he  was  passing.  I  happened  to  be  wheeling 
stable  dung  on  a  barrow,  to  be  used  in  a  hot-bed. 
I  set  down  the  barrow  and  talked  to  my  relative. 
A  curious  pang  of  shame  shot  through  me,  as  I 
eyed  my  humble  employment  and  my  rustic  attire, 
in  the  presence  of  a  young  man  from  the  city,  with 
some  measure  of  polish  both  upon  mind  and  body. 


70  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

A  secret  wish  sprang  up,  which  ripened  into  a  re- 
solution, to  obtain  emancipation  from  manual  labour, 
and  reach  a  position  which  might  permit  and  de- 
mand the  exercise  of  higher  faculties.  The  incident 
here  recorded  is  the  one  which  stands  in  clearest 
outline  on  my  memory ;  but  it  was  not  alone.  It 
is  like  one  sharp  peak  projecting  from  a  continuous 
mountain  range.  The  bent  of  my  mind  in  those 
years  was  habitually  in  that  direction.  By  my 
coevals  in  the  village  I  was  counted  proud,  until 
they  fairly  perceived  the  nature  and  tendency  of 
my  ambition.  Then  I  believe  I  got  more  respect 
than  I  deserved.  The  devotion  to  my  books,  instead 
of  frolic  at  the  hour  of  leisure,  obtained  its  full 
measure  of  homage  from  the  hearts  and  tongues 
of  the  common  people.  My  experience  would  lead 
me  to  say  that  the  common  people  of  the  country 
will  fairly  appreciate  any  one  who,  by  natural 
talents  and  energy,  rises  above  them.  I  experienced 
no  envy — no  effort  to  depreciate.  As  soon  as  it 
became  palpable  in  my  conduct  what  I  would  be 
at,  and  whereby  I  sought  to  elevate  myself,  I  re- 
ceived the  respectful  commendation  of  the  whole 
neighbourhood.  The  country  people,  by  an  instinc- 
tive common  sense,  can  well  take  the  measure  of 
a  man  who  pretends  to  get  above  them.  Although 
he  excel  them  in  learning,  if  he  be  a  fool,  they  will 
laugh  him  down.  But  if  he  have  sense  and  sincerity, 
they  will  delight  to  honour  him. 

Coincident    with    this    intellectual    juvenescence, 


A  UTODIOGRAPHY.  7 1 

which  made  me  feel  my  present  position  too  narrow, 
other  influences  were  at  work  opening  up  for  me  a 
wider  sphere.  The  principal  cause  operating  from 
without  was,  as  I  have  said,  the  bereavement  which 
I  experienced  when  I  was  nineteen  years  of  age. 
This  event  darkened  much  the  hue  of  the  world's 
surface  to  me,  and  thereby  greatly  contributed  to 
lift  up  my  soul,  and  compel  it  to  expatiate  for  work 
and  reward  in  a  higher  region.  I  cherish  the  beliet 
that  the  outward  cause  was  the  instrument  which 
the  Spirit  employed  to  shut  me  out  from  other  walks, 
and  shut  me  in  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  In 
forming  my  resolution  at  the  first,  I  think  my  eye 
was  more  single  than  it  has  been  at  any  time  since. 
I  had  begun  to  save  every  penny  from  my  wages 
that  could  be  spared  from  necessaries.  I  earned  only 
nine  shillings  a  week  during  the  two  latter  years  of 
my  labour.  My  father  charged  me  two  and  sixpence 
a  week  for  my  board.  This  is  an  instance  of  the 
wisdom  which  my  father  exhibited  in  his  treatment 
of  a  youth.  At  first  when  I  began  to  earn  wages,  he 
refused  to  permit  me  to  stay  in  the  house  without 
paying  a  board.  He  knew  well  that  the  discipline 
was  good  for  me.  He  knew  that  to  keep  me  short  of 
money  was  the  safest  course  for  me.  But  when  he  saw 
me  saving  my  money  for  a  good  purpose,  his  object 
being  gained,  my  education  in  that  matter  having 
been  completed,  he  remitted  the  board  altogether 
during  the  last  year.  The  consequence  was  that  I 
had  accumulated  twenty  pounds  in  November  1828. 


72  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

About  that  time  my  father  made  a  last  effort  to 
persuade  me  to  remain  at  home  with  him.  The  farm 
of  Boat  Mill,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  our  own 
house,  was  then  vacant.  He  took  me  one  day  round 
to  the  end  of  the  house,  pointed  to  the  farm,  and 
said,  "  I'll  take  that  farm  and  stock  it  for  you  if 
you'll  stay ;  and  it  is  not  every  young  man  that  has 
so  good  an  offer."  I  was  much  moved  by  this  proof 
of  my  father's  confidence  and  kindness.  I  explained 
to  him  that  my  heart  would  not  lie  to  farming ;  that, 
however  good  the  prospect  was,  it  would  not  satisfy 
me ;  that  I  had  no  value  at  all  for  gain,  that  my  heart 
was  set  upon  one  thing — the  work  of  the  ministry. 
After  that  day  he  never  sought  to  dissuade  me  from 
my  purpose,  and  it  was  not  with  a  grudge  that  he 
yielded.  He  fell  in  with  my  views  when  he  saw  that 
my  mind  was  made  up,  and  encouraged  me  in  every 
way  he  could  devise. 

After  my  brother's  death,  Mr.  Francis  Grant  mani- 
fested some  interest  in  my  proceedings.  I  remember 
well  how  he  warned  me  that  it  was  expensive  to  live 
in  Edinburgh,  and  asked  me  how  I  expected  to 
defray  the  expense  of  my  education  for  a  period  of 
years.  I  told  him  that  I  did  not  know,  that  I  had 
something  to  begin  with,  and  with  it  I  intended  to 
begin ;  and  when  it  should  run  out,  1  would  then 
consider  what  course  I  should  adopt.  The  truth  is, 
I  had,  through  the  Lord's  dealings  with  me,  reached 
at  that  time  some  considerable  measure  of  elevation 
from  worldly  views,  and  it  was  proportionately  easy 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  73 


to  trust  iu  Providence  for  the  unseen  future.  I  could 
not  see  before  me,  and  yet  I  was  not  in  the  least 
troubled  about  the  path.  I  certainly  was  blind,  but 
the  Lord  led  me  in  a  way  that  I  knew  not. 

My  plan  was  to  devote  the  time  from  November 
1828  to  October  1829  entirely  to  study,  preparatory 
to  entering  college.  I  went  to  Perth,  and  placed 
myself  under  a  Mr.  Thomas  Scott,  a  probationer 
lately  licensed,  who  had  begun  to  keep  a  school. 
During  the  winter  I  prosecuted  the  study  of  Greek 
and  Latin  under  Mr.  Scott's  instructions,  living  with 
my  sister  Mary,  who  was  settled  in  Perth  in  a  busi- 
ness of  her  own,  and  going  home  every  Saturday  to 
spend  the  Sabbath.  Early  in  spring,  my  teacher  was 
appointed  parochial  schoolmaster  of  the  neighbouring 
parish  of  Dumbarney.  It  was  within  a  convenient 
distance  of  my  father's  house,  and  so  I  was  enabled, 
during  the  remainder  of  the  year,  to  do  my  duty  as 
to  the  prosecution  of  my  work,  and  yet  indulge  my 
early  passion  for  living  at  home  and  in  retirement. 
Mr.  Scott  was  quite  capable  of  superintending  my 
studies  :  but  as  there  was  no  other  scholar  at  the 
same  stage  of  advancement,  I  could  not  obtain  much 
of  his  attention  in  a  promiscuous  school.  Indeed,  I 
early  adopted  the  method  of  reading  by  myself, 
marking  difficulties  as  I  went  along,  and  submitting 
them  to  the  teacher  for  solution  after  the  school  was 
dismissed.  For  progress  I  was  left  to  depend  wholly 
on  my  own  zeal  and  perseverance  ;  and  well  I  might, 
for  1  was  of  mature  age,  and  I  had  a  great  object 


74  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

before  me  to  lead  me  on.  Mr.  Scott  showed  me  great 
kindness,  and  was  interested  in  my  success.  Al- 
though in  the  earlier  stages  I  felt  the  drudgery  of 
the  rules  of  syntax  aDd  prosody,  which  I  was  per- 
suaded to  learn  by  heart  in  rude  Latin  hexameters, 
I  latterly  enjoyed  the  study.  During  the  summer  I 
read  the  whole  of  the  iEneid  of  Virgil.  After  toiling, 
by  aid  of  the  dictionary,  through  two  or  three  books, 
I  began  to  read  it  continuously  as  I  would  English 
poetry,  earned  forward  by  delight  in  the  story  and 
the  numbers.  It  was  a  great  point  gained  when  I 
found  myself  impelled  to  lie  down  beneath  the  shade 
#of  a  tree  on  the  way  home  from  school,  and  read 
with  relish  a  boolt  of  Virgil  before  I  rose,  without  the 
drudgery  of  construing  the  clauses  and  consulting 
the  dictionary.  I  acquired  also  some  knowledge  of 
the  Greek  grammar,  and  read  portions  of  the  New 
Testament  and  other  selections  from  Sandford's 
"  Extracts." 

The  year  was  barren  of  incidents — at  least,  my 
memory  is  barren  of  matters  referring  to  that  year. 
My  uncle,  Robert  Fisher,  who  resided  in  Glasgow, 
had  learned  that  I  was  preparing  to  go  to  college, 
and  wrete  to  my  father  advising  that  I  should  go  to 
Glasgow,  offering  at  the  same  time  to  give  me  lodg- 
ing in  his  house,  free  of  expense,  during  the  first 
session.  This  was  the  circumstance  in  Providence 
that  determined  my  sphere  of  action  for  life ;  for,  as 
both  Edinburgh  and  St.  Andrews  were  nearer  than 
Glasgow,  if  other  things  had   been  equal,  I  would 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  75 

certainly  have  preferred  one  or  the  other  of  these. 
As  it  was,  the  subject  never  required  a  second 
thought.  It  was  at  once  determined  that  my  uncle's 
offer  should  be  accepted,  and  that  I  should  enter  the 
classes  at  the  University  of  Glasgow  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  session  in  October. 

Accordingly,  on  or  about  the  8th  of  October  1829, 
I  set  out  for  Glasgow.     The  carts  of  our  neighbour, 
John  Miller,  of  Farmhall,  were  to  be  despatched  to 
Blaringone,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Dollar,  for  coals. 
They  left  home  about  ten  in  the   evening.     With 
them  I  went  for  the  advantage  of  a  drive  for  the  first 
fifteen  miles  of  my  pilgrimage.     Leaving  the  carts  a 
little  to  the  west  of  Yetts  of  Muckart  at  a  very  early 
hour  in  the  morning,  I  trudged  on  by  Dollar  and 
Alloa  to  the  canal  at  Lock  16,  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Falkirk.     The  rain  was  very  great.     The  roads 
were   choked  with    droves   of  cattle   convening   to 
Falkirk  Tryst,  and  at  some  places  the  highway  was 
converted  into  a  flowing  river  of  mud.     I  arrived  by 
a  bye-path  on  the  canal  bank  just  as  the  boat  was 
passing.     She  was  brought  to  the  bank,  and  I  stepped 
on  board.     In  those  days  comfort  was  more  thought 
of  than  speed,  and  the  boat,  which  was  of  consider- 
able breadth,  had  an  upper  deck,  and  a  cabin  below 
with  a  comfortable  fire.     How  glad  was  I  when  I 
found  myself  at  last  sheltered  from  the  pelting  rain, 
and  permitted  to  dry  my  soaking  clothes  before  the 
stove  in  the  track  boat  cabin  !     I  was  unencumbered. 
My  trunk  with  all  my  goods  had  been  sent  on  by  the 


76  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

carrier  from  Dunning,  and  I  had  nothing  to  care  for 
on  the  journey.  I  wore  a  good  blue  cloth  long  coat 
with  bright  brass  buttons,  and  a  cloth  cap  of  large 
dimensions,  constructed  by  the  needle  and  scissors  of 
my  sister  Margaret  out  of  the  remanent  material  of 
the  present  coat's  immediate  predecessor.  We  arrived 
at  Port  Dundas  about  seven  o'clock  on  a  dark,  close, 
misty  night.  As  I  descended  the  steep  streets,  and 
plunged  for  the  first  time  into  Glasgow,  I  saw  nothing, 
but  felt  it  a  dreary  place.  This  dear  Glasgow  that 
has  so  long  been  my  home,  my  first  interview  with 
it  was  not  fitted  to  inflame  my  love  1 

I  made  my  way  across  the  whole  breadth  of  the 
city,  and  after  crossing  at  the  Broomielaw  Bridge, 
found  my  uncle's  house  in  Norfolk  Street,  Gorbals. 
I  was  warmly  welcomed  and  ensconced  in  a  com- 
fortable bedroom,  with  leisure  and  retirement 
during  the  day,  and  their  eldest  son,  Robert,  for  a 
bed-fellow  at  night. 

On  the  10th  of  October  I  purchased  a  red  gown, 
paid  my  matriculation  fee  at  the  library,  and  my 
tickets  for  the  Greek  and  Latin  classes,  and  was 
ready  to  commence  operations  on  the  following  day. 
My  ideas  of  a  college  and  its  exercises  had  been, 
during  the  past  year,  somewhat  shorn  of  their  roman- 
tic proportions;  but  even  yet  there  was  an  admix- 
ture of  the  mysterious  hanging  over  the  unknown  in 
my  mind.  A  few  days  reduced  everything  to  its 
own  sober  dimensions.  After  having  seen  and  con- 
versed  with    old    Josiah    Walker,    the    professor    of 


A  UTOBIO  GRAPH  Y.  77 

Latin,  and  Daniel  Sandford,  the  professor  of  Greek, 
and  attended  two  or  three  days  in  the  classes,  I 
knew  pretty  well  what  a  college  is,  and  what  it  is 
not. 

Mr.  Walker  was  a  gentle  old  man,  competent  but 
not  brilliant ;  and  soon  after  the  commencement  of 
the  session,  his  infirmities  increased  so  much,  that  he 
found  it  necessary  to  employ  an  assistant  for  half  ot 
his  work.  The  assistant  was  Mr.  Kobert  Paisley, 
then  a  student  of  divinity,  and  now  minister  of  the 
parish  of  St.  Ninians. 

We  attended  the  Latin  class  an  hour  in  the  morn- 
ing, beginning  at  half-past  seven,  and  an  hour  in  the 
forenoon,  at  eleven.  The  assistant  taught  in  the 
morning,  and  the  professor  in  the  forenoon.  Mr. 
Paisley  had  not  the  presence  and  authority  neces- 
sary to  his  position.  He  was  by  nature  no  Boanerges, 
and  when  the  noise  grew  fast  and  furious  through- 
out the  huge  class-room,  he  was  wont  to  shut  both 
his  eyes,  and  so  make  his  remarks  in  the  dark.  His 
gentle  pleadings,  however,  were  not  the  sort  of  thing 
to  quell  a  set  of  brainless  fellows,  who  went  there 
not  to  learn,  but  to  laugh.  Of  course,  I  took  no  part 
in  the  rows.  I  wanted  to  learn,  and  was  grieved  at 
the  loss  of  time  and  the  loss  of  money.  The  whole 
scene  was  new  to  me.  The  boldness  of  boys  who 
had  been  brought  up  in  a  large  city,  stood  out  in  very 
strong  relief  against  my  bashfulness,  and,  indeed, 
against  all  my  previous  conceptions  of  what  young 
men  were  or  should  be. 


78  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

There  was  no  unbecoming  behaviour  in  the  pre- 
sence of  Mr.  Walker  himself.  Although  old  and 
infirm,  he  had  an  erect,  manly  bearing ;  and  there  was 
firmness  about  his  lip  and  brow,  obviously  a  tenant  of 
long  standing  there,  which  made  bullies  instinc- 
tively keep  themselves  quiet.  I  experienced 
some  marks  of  confidence  and  kindness  from  the 
worthy  old  man.  From  a  pretty  large  number 
of  grown-up  young  men  whom  he  found  in  the 
junior  class,  he  selected  William  Fulton  and 
myself  for  certain  honours,  and  certain  allied  labours 
among  our  brethren.  Many  of  them  had  not  been 
under  a  competent  master,  and  among  other  defi- 
ciencies were  wofully  wanting  in  the  knowledge  of 
"  quantity."  We  were  employed  publicly  under  the 
authority  of  the  professor,  and  in  the  class-room, 
to  grind  the  "  homos"  into  the  capacity  of  measur- 
ing Latin  verse,  and  pronouncing  their  lessons 
correctly. 

In  the  Latin  class,  on  the  Greek  side,  I  obtained 
the  third  prize  by  the  votes  of  the  class.  William 
Fulton  was  first,  and  Thomas  Frame  second. 

In  the  Greek  it  was  Frame  first,  Fulton  second, 
and  Arnot  third.  Fulton  was  a  homo  who,  like  my- 
self, had  chiefly  tunnelled  his  own  way  through  the 
initial  intricacies  of  the  Latin  tongue.  He  became, 
and  I  think  at  this  date1  is,  parochial  schoolmaster  of 
Govan,  a  populous  suburb  of  Glasgow. 


1853. 


A  UTOBIOGRAPHY.  79 

Mr.  Walker  invited  me  once  or  twice  to  his  house 
in  private,  and  spoke  encouragingly  of  my  Latin 
versification. 

In  the  Greek  class  I  entered  the  youngest  division. 
There  were  three  distinct  classes,  separately  taught 
— juniores,  provectiores,  and  seniores.  In  the 
juniores  the  professor  began  with  the  grammar,  but 
went  rapidly  through  it,  and  read  portions  of  various 
authors,  New  Testament,  Tyrtseus,  and  Homer,  to- 
wards the  close.  I  have  never  been  able  to  form  a 
decided  judgment  whether  I  lost  or  gained  by  enter- 
ing the  youngest  class.  Perhaps  I  would  have  been 
quite  able  to  take  the  second,  but  I  lacked  information 
at  the  beginning  of  the  session,  and  could  not  change 
after  I  had  begun.  I  obtained -the  third  prize,  and 
by  reading  during  the  summer,  I  was  enabled  to  skip 
over  the  second  class  and  enter  the  senior  next  year, 
where,  notwithstanding  the  leap,  I  held  a  good  place, 
and  obtained  the  third  prize  on  the  logic  side.  The 
professor  infused  an  enthusiastic  spirit  into  his  class, 
and  was  greatly  beloved. 

The  Logic  class,  which  I  attended  in  conjunction 
with  the  senior  Greek,  in  session  1830-1,  consisted  of 
130  students,  and  was  taught  by  Mr.  Robert  Buchanan, 
competent  and  effective  as  a  teacher,  it  not  eminent 
in  genius  or  learning.  In  this  class  I  obtained  great 
benefit.  A  considerable  expansion  ot  view,  and  con- 
siderable faculty  in  writing,  were  the  fruits.  In  the 
senior  side,  consisting  ot  those  who  were  more  than 
nineteen  years  ot  age,  the  prize  list  stood  thus : — (1) 


80  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

Christopher  Dunkin,  English  Nonconformist,  now  a 
member  of  the  Canadian  Legislature,  and  lawyer  in 
Montreal  ;  (2)  Henry  Wilkes,  now  an  Independent 
minister  in  Montreal  ;  (3)  James  Galloway,  English 
Independent,  still  surviving,  I  think,  in  the  minis- 
try, somewhere  in  England  ;  and  (4)  myself.  I 
think  Edward  Napier  was  fifth,  who  became  an  Inde- 
pendent minister  at  Dalkeith,  and  died  several  years 
ago.  The  Independent  students  had  the  advantage 
of  us  in  a  class  which  was  mainly  one  of  English 
literature,  inasmuch  as  they  had  already  passed 
through  their  own  semi-literary,  semi-theological, 
academy,  and  begun  to  preach  in  public. l 

In  the  Moral  Philosophy  class  James  Milne  was 
professor — aged,  but  genial  and  competent.  Not 
much  that  is  memorable  for  me  now  adheres  to  that 
session.  By  this  time  I  was  fully  engaged  in  private 
teaching,  and  gained  my  livelihood  by  it,  all  the  time 
of  my  course  at  college. 

1  A  note  added  in  1874,  regarding  the  three  first  names  in  this  list, 
shows  with  what  interest  Mr.  Aniot  traced  the  course  of  his  former 
fellow  students. 

"  1.  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  Canada  now  (1874). 

2.  Professor  in  Independent  College,  Montreal. 

3.  Secretary  of  Home  Mission — Independent — London.     Met  him 

last  Autumn  in  New  York  at  the  Evangelical  Alliance." 


MEMOIR. 


CHAPTER   I. 

"/~\F  three  students  who  met  in  the  dingy  quad- 
rangle of  Glasgow  College,  about  forty  years 
ago,  and  enjoyed  for  several  seasons  there  a  tender 
and  hallowed  brotherhood,  both  in  the  prosecution  of 
human  science  and  the  exercise  of  the  spiritual  life, 
the  sole  survivor  has  been  led  through  a  noteworthy 
and  solemnising  experience.  He  was  the  oldest  of 
the  three,  and  yet  it  has  been  his  singular  lot  to  begin 
his  own  literary  life-work  by  composing  the  memoir 
of  one  of  his  friends,  and  to  close  it  by  composing 
the  memoir  of  the  other.  His  hand  is  steady  as  he 
traces  these  lines,  and  his  eye  clear.  He  stands  in 
awe  as  the  question  rises,  '  Wherefore  has  he  been 
spared  %  '  The  ripe  have  been  taken,  and  that  same 
Sun  of  Righteousness  which  made  them  mellow  early, 
is  able  also  to  fill  and  sweeten  in  His  own  time  those 
survivors  who,  even  unto  old  age,  retain  much  of  the 
greenness  and  acidity  which  belongs  to  a  too  close 
rooting  into  the  earth. 

"  These   two   have    entered   within    the   veil.     A 
83 


84  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  i. 

quarter  of  a  century  intervened  between  the  dates  of 
their  departure.  .  .  .  One  was  called  up  higher 
ere  his  ministry  began,  the  other  was  promoted 
to  the  general  assembly  of  the  first-born  that  are 
written  in  heaven,  after  a  public  ministry  of  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  Both  understand  the 
matter  now,  and  sing  in  concert,  'He  hath  done  all 
things  well.' " 

Not  many  years  have  passed  since  these  lines  were 
penned,  and  now  the  writer  has  also  entered  within 
the  veil.  The  three  friends  are  once  more  united. 
Halley,  Hamilton,  and  Arnot,  who  paced  long  ago 
the  dingy  quadrangle  of  Glasgow  College,  now  pace 
the  golden  streets,  praising  together  the  Lord,  whom 
they  all  three  loved  and  served  so  faithfully  on  earth. 

It  is  our  sad,  though,  at  the  same  time,  grateful 
task,  to  do  for  William  Arnot  what  he  did  for  Halley 
and  Hamilton — to  trace  with  less  skilful  hand  such 
a  simple,  truthful  record  of  his  life  and  work,  as  may 
help  to  keep  his  memory  alive,  and  preserve  its  fra- 
grance for  those  left  behind. 

The  history  of  his  early  days  he  has  written  for  us 
himself  as  none  other  could  have  done  it.  It  has 
been  given  here  entire,  as  he  left  it,  with  but  few,  and 
these  trilling,  omissions.  Some  may  think  that  it 
descends  to  too  minute  details,  but  those  who  knew 
and  loved  him,  will,  we  know,  value  every  word  that 
he  wrote ;  while  both  to  them  and  to  others  it  will  be 


1  Life  of  Dr.  James  Hamilton,  by  Rev.  W.  Arnot,  p.  190. 


EARLY  DAYS.  85 


a  deeply  interesting  study  to  note  how  every  little 
circumstance  in  the  life  of  the  boy,  every  influence, 
good  and  evil,  to  which  he  was  exposed,  combined 
to  mould  the  character  of  the  man. 

It  is  matter  of  regret  that  the  Autobiography  comes 
to  an  end  so  soon  and  so  abruptly.  The  last  few 
pages  seem  to  have  been  added  at  a  much  later  date 
than  the  rest,  and  would  appear  to  indicate  that  Mr. 
Arnot,  after  a  period  of  years  in  which,  from  the 
pressure  of  a  busy  life,  the  Autobiography  had  been 
neglected,  and  perhaps  forgotten,  had  taken  it  in 
hand  once  more ;  and  giving  up  the  idea  of  telling 
the  whole  story  of  his  life  himself,  had  desired  to 
carry  it  on  to  a  point  at  which  others  might  take  up 
the  thread  and  finish  it.  Certain  it  is,  that  while  the 
details  of  his  life  and  work  during  the  thirty-six 
years  of  his  ministry  have  been  preserved  in  many 
loving  hearts,  the  history  of  his  earlier  years  would 
have  been  meagre  indeed  had  we  been  left  to  gather 
it  from  outside  sources. 

He  was  the  youngest  child  and  last  survivor  of  his 
family.  Few  now  remain  who  knew  him  in  his 
youth,  or  who  could  give  any  account  of  the  home  of 
his  childhood — of  the  father  to  whom  he  owed  so 
much,  and  of  the  mother  whose  memory  he  held  in 
such  loving  reverence.  Even  in  1850,  when,  on  com- 
mencing his  Autobiography,  Mr.  Arnot  desired  to 
obtain  more  particular  information  as  to  the  Christian 
character  of  his  mother,  he  knew  no  private  friend 
who  could  furnish  it,  and  accordingly  applied  to  the 


8G  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  i. 

Rev.  Dr.  Jamieson,  Secession  minister  of  Scone,  of 
whose  congregation  Mrs.  Arnot  had  been  a  member. 
The  letter  begins  with  an  expression  of  regret  that 
the  writer  had  not  sooner  made  himself  known  to 
Dr.  Jamieson,  and  proceeds  thus  : — 

"  Now  that  I  have  children  of  my  own,  and  see 
what  their  mother  is  to  them,  I  feel  more  than  I  did 
in  my  youth  the  want  of  a  mother,  and  my  desire 
increases  to  know  something  more  of  her  religious 
experience  and  history.  I  cannot  expect  that,  at  this 
distant  period,  you  can  remember  much,  but  I  know 
of  no  one  so  likely  to  know  something  of  it,  and  I 
would  be  thankful  for  a  very  little.  I  propose,  there- 
fore, if  the  Lord  should  be  pleased  to  spare  us  both, 
to  visit  you  at  Scone  the  first  time  I  have  occasion 

to  be  in  Perthshire Permit  me  to  say, 

although  I  suppose  I  should  not  know  you  on  the 
street,  that  I  cherish  for  you  a  very  affectionate  and 
reverential  regard.     I  long  to  see  you. — Yours  ever, 

William  Arnot." 

Reverencing  thus  the  memory  of  a  dead  mother, 
and  honouring,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  the  only 
parent  whom  he  knew,  it  cannot  be  wondered  at 
that  William  Arnot  had  an  intense  love  for  and 
clinging  to  the  home  of  his  childhood.  An  incident, 
not  mentioned  in  the  Autobiography,  but  related 
in  a  letter  to  one  of  his  sons  not  long  before  his 
death,  strikingly  illustrates  this  characteristic. 

"  An  interesting  memory  has  come  up  to  me  this 


chap.  i.  LEA  VES  HOME.  87 

evening.  When  my  brother  and  I  were  youths,  just 
past  school,  an  uncle  in  Glasgow  wrote  to  my  father 
saying :  '  Send  your  boys  to  me,  and  I  will  make 
men  of  them.'  We  laid  our  heads  together,  con- 
sidered it,  and  declined.  We  both  adopted  humble 
occupations,  but  we  remained  at  home  during  the 
period  between  sixteen  and  twenty-one.  My  brother, 
on  his  death-bed,  recalled  the  circumstance,  and  he 
and  I  rejoiced  together  that  we  had  not  left  home 
and  gone  to  Glasgow,  for  he  said,  '  We  might  have 
been  led  into  temptation  at  that  period  of  life,  when 
far  from  our  father's  house.'  We  had  not  grown  rich, 
but  then  our  consciences  were  kept  pure,  and  our  lives. 
We  were  kept  from  the  knowledge  of  evil.  This 
sweetened  his  early  departure,  and  has  sweetened 
my  long  life  more  than  any  tongue  can  tell." 

There  are  probably  few  youths  growing  up  to 
manhood  who  would  have  acted  as  these  brothers 
did,  in  deliberately  giving  up  a  good  prospect  of 
temporal  advancement,  for  the  sake  of  remaining  a 
few  years  longer  under  the  shelter  of  their  fathers 
roof.  But  strong  as  this  affection  was,  another  yet 
stronger  grew  up  in  his  heart,  and  overshadowed  it. 
When  the  command  of  God  came,  "  Son,  go  work  in 
my  vineyard,"  neither  the  love  for  his  home  nor  the 
persuasions  of  his  father  had  power  to  hold  him 
back.  He  left  the  cottage  on  the  banks  of  the  Earn, 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  the  crowded  city,  which 
was  to  be  for  so  many  years  the  field  of  his  labours. 
His  father's  opposition  seems  to  have  arisen,  partly 


88  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.  chap.  i. 

at  least,  from  a  doubt  of  the  firmness  of  his  son's 
resolution,  and  a  desire  to  test  its  sincerity.  That 
object  accomplished,  we  find  it  not  only  withdrawn, 
but  replaced  by  encouragement  and  aid.  In  vaca- 
tion times  he  had  a  warm  welcome  and  hospitable 
entertainment,  not  only  for  his  son,  but  for  the  com- 
panions who  now  and  then  accompanied  him  home  ; 
and  many  a  happy  holiday  was  spent  along  the 
waterside  at  Forgan.  James  Halley,  in  one  of  his 
last  letters  from  Madeira,  looks  back  wistfully  to 
such  a  visit,  and  especially  remembers  with  grati- 
tude the  "  fatherly  blessing "  with  which  the  old 
man  dismissed  them  at  its  close. 

It  is  at  this  point  that  we  must  take  up  the 
broken  thread,  and  trace  to  its  close  a  life  which 
was  not  only  a  busy  and  useful,  but  a  pre-emi- 
nently happy  one :  happy,  not  from  the  absence  of 
trials  and  crosses,  such  as  all  God's  children  have 
to  bear,  but  from  his  faith  and  submission  under 
these,  and  his  grateful  acknowledgment  and  keen 
enjoyment  of  all  the  blessings  which  his  heavenly 
Father  bestowed.  In  doing  so,  we  shall  continue  to 
use,  as  far  as  possible,  his  own  words  from  journals 
and  letters,  interposing  only  what  seems  necessary 
for  connection  and  explanation. 

William  Arnot  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  when 
he  entered  the  University  of  Glasgow.  Of  his  daily 
life  while  at  college,  and  the  various  duties  and 
interests  which  occupied  him,  we  have  a  clear  and 
interesting  picture  in  his  letters  home.     The  allu- 


chap.  i.  ENTERS  UNIVERSITY.  89 

sions  in  these  letters  to  his  classes  and  the  work 
done  there,  are  few  and  brief.  The  reason  for  this 
appears  when,  now  and  then,  after  a  sentence  or  two 
on  these  subjects,  he  breaks  off  with  some  such 
expression  as — "But  I  need  not  enter  into  details, 
for  you  would  not  understand."  From  all  that  we 
can  gather,  he  does  not  seem  to  have  specially  dis- 
tinguished himself  as  a  student,  though  he  gained 
some  prizes  every  year,  and  held  an  honourable 
place  in  all  his  classes.  The  great  amount  of  his 
private  teaching  was  doubtless  a  hindrance  to  his 
own  studies,  though  this  was  a  disadvantage  which 
he  shared  with  many  of  his  fellow-students,  some  of 
them  among  the  most  distinguished.  The  following 
passage  from  his  "Life  of  Hamilton"  shows  that  he 
felt  this  keenly  at  the  time,  and  regretted  it  in  after 
years.  After  relating  how  Mr.  Hamilton  did  not 
confine  himself  to  the  theological  classes  at  college, 
but  studied  botany,  natural  history,  and  chemistry, 
with  such  success  as  to  "beat  the  medicals  on  their 
own  ground,"  he  goes  on  to  say : — "  It  is  right,  and 
may  be  useful  to  mention  here,  that  while  he  (Hamil- 
ton) was  indebted  for  success  in  these  sciences  to 
his  own  intellectual  aptitude  and  persevering  zeal, 
he  was  indebted,  under  Providence,  for  the  oppor- 
tunity, to  a  moderate  patrimony,  which  relieved  him 
wholly  from  the  necessity  of  working  for  his  bread. 
While  Hamilton  was  thus  enabled  to  enrich  his  mind 
and  lay  in  precious  store  for  future  use,  James 
Halley,  and  other   companions  and  contemporaries 


90  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  i. 

less  gifted,  were  obliged  to  toil  four  or  five  hours 
a-day  grinding  juniors,  in  order  to  procure  the  means 
of  attending  the  University  themselves.  Very  little 
provision  was  made  in  those  days  for  assisting 
students  who  might  have  shown  themselves  worthy 
of  being  assisted.  For  the  most  part,  bursaries  that 
existed  were  at  the  disposal  of  patrons,  who  admitted 
no  influence  except  that  of  private  partialities. 
Better  days  have  come  for  Scottish  students." x 

■  At  all  events,  Mr.  Arnot  is  remembered  less  for  his 
eminence  as  a  student  than  for  his  geniality  and 
true-heartedness  as  a  companion  and  friend.  He 
was  popular  among  his  fellows,  and  obtained  con- 
siderable influence  in  their  little  world,  chiefly  by 
the  exercise  of  what  one  who  knew  him  in  those 
days  calls  his  "  sanctified  common-sense."  With 
several  of  his  fellow-students  he  entered  into  a  very 
close  bond  of  brotherhood,  and  with  these  he  main- 
tained loving  intercourse  as  opportunity  permitted, 
until  death  removed  one  after  another.  Of  that 
inner  circle  only  one  now  survives.  The  sister  of 
Halley  gives  the  following  description  of  Mr.  Arnot 
as  he  was  in  those  days : — 

"I  do  not  remember  Mr.  Arnot  among  the  band  of 
brothers  until  about  1832-3.  He  seemed  to  bring  a 
breath  of  fresh  country  air  and  a  blink  of  sunshine 
with  him  into  the  dingy  streets  and  close  confined 
rooms  of  the  town-bred  students ;    his  florid  com- 

1  Life  of  Hamilton,  p.  67. 


chap.  t.    FRIENDSHIPS  AND  MISSION  WORK.  91 

plexion,  jocund  expression,  and  manly,  well-de- 
veloped frame  contrasting  strongly  with  the  pale 
faces,  keen  scholarly  aspect,  and  slender  boyish 
figures  of  my  brother  and  James  Hamilton,  as  well 
as  with  the  stiff,  lanky  angularity  of  the  other  two 
Jameses,  Morrison  and  Stevenson,  who  were  men 
more  of  his  own  age.  He  was  dearly  beloved 
and  highly  valued  by  all.  I  do  not  remember  if 
he  distinguished  himself  as  a  student  in  the  way 
of  prize-taking,  but  the  friends  most  capable  of 
judging,  deemed  him  equal  to  the  best  of  that 
glorious  brotherhood,  and  in  some  respects  superior 
to  them  all." 

Halley  himself,  who  was,  as  a  student,  the  most  dis- 
tinguished of  the  band,  was  wont  to  say  that  Arnot 
had  more  divinity  than  all  the  rest  put  together. 

All  the  friends  were  earnest  workers  in  the  cause 
of  Sabbath  schools.  Some  of  them,  including  Mr. 
Arnot,  were  among  the  first  promoters  of  the  Glas- 
gow Sabbath  School  Union.  Their  own  labours 
were  principally  in  connection  with  the  mission  at 
St.  Rollox,  where  Mr.  Arnot  taught,  for  four  years, 
an  advanced  Bible  class  for  young  women.  His 
work  there  was  much  blessed,  and  in  consequence 
much  enjoyed,  both  by  himself  and  those  placed 
under  his  care.  Among  his  papers  was  found,  after 
his  death,  a  packet  labelled,  "  Memorials  of  the  Class, 
St.  Rollox,"  containing  exercises  and  letters  written 
by  members  of  the  class.  Some  of  the  letters  are 
written   during   the    teacher's   absence    in    College 


92  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  i. 

vacations,  and  some  after  he  had  permanently  left 
them.  All  the  writers  express  the  warmest  grati- 
tude for  the  instructions  received,  and  the  kindly 
interest  taken  in  their  welfare ;  and  several  speak 
of  having  been  awakened  to  spiritual  life  under 
his  teaching.  The  personal  attachment  between 
teacher  and  scholars  grew  so  strong,  that,  in  a  letter 
to  a  friend,  Mr.  Arnot  expresses  a  fear  lest  he 
should  in  any  degree  come  between  these  souls 
and  the  Saviour  to  whom  he  strove  to  guide  them. 
A  passage  in  one  of  the  letters  referred  to  seems 
to  indicate  that  this  alarm  was  needless.  The 
writer  says : — "  God  was  pleased  to  make  you  the 
instrument  in  communicating  spiritual  knowledge 
to  our  souls  ;  but  looking  to  you  only  as  the  instru- 
ment, we  desire  to  give  God  the  glory."  Many 
of  the  letters  contain  such  expressions  as  the 
following : — "  You  asked  me  to  write  to  you  about 
the  little  class  which  you  put  under  my  care," 
showing  that  he  trained  his  scholars  to  be  teachers 
in  their  turn,  and  personally  directed  and  super- 
intended their  first  efforts.  He  was  in  the  habit, 
when  absent  for  some  time,  of  sending  a  letter  to 
be  read  to  the  class,  and  continued  to  do  so 
occasionally  after  his  connection  with  them  as 
teacher  had  ceased.  In  1834  this  class  presented 
him  with  a  large  Bible,  which  he  valued  greatly, 
and  ever  afterwards  used  regularly  at  family  wor- 
ship. During  his  last  session  at  College,  he  resided 
as  tutor   with  a   family   in  Milngavie,    some   miles 


chap.  i.  CORRESPONDENCE.  93 

out  of  Glasgow,  and  undertook  to  teach  a  similar 
class  there  ;  but  unwilling  to  break  all  connection 
with  his  old  class,  he  frequently  walked  or  rode  in 
to  Glasgow  to  meet  them  on  the  Sabbath  morning, 
returning  in  time  to  conduct  the  other  class  at 
night.  While  at  Milngavie,  he  was  a  frequent 
visitor  in  the  day  and  infant  schools,  and  became 
well  known  to  the  children.  Writing  to  a  friend 
he  says: — "Am  not  I  highly  honoured  when,  in 
passing  through  the  streets  of  my  diocesan  capital, 
this  and-  that  fair-haired  urchin  drops  a  handsome 
curtsey  at  my  approach,  with  a  •  yes,  mem'  in  return  to 
any  gracious  remark  I  may  condescend  to  make  %  " 

Mr.  Arnot's  correspondence  at  this  time  with  his 
intimate  friends  is  very  interesting,  and  throws 
much  light  on  his  character  in  all  its  phases.  Some 
letters  overflow  with  playfulness  and  sparkle  with 
humour;  others  are  full  of  serious  thoughts  on  the 
most  solemn  subjects  ;  in  many,  the  grave  and  the 
humorous  lie  side  by  side  in  very  close  contact, 
but  never  mingled  so  as  to  jar  on  the  strictest  sense 
of  propriety.  It  is  of  such  letters  as  these  that 
James  Halley  writes : — "  They  were  like  all  your 
things,  very  naive  and  natural,  and  assured  me 
very  pleasantly  that  the  W.  A.  of  1837  is  the  same 
honest,  kind,  warm-hearted,  serio-comic  genius  that 
I  had  ever  found  him  before." 

During  the  first  session  of  his  attendance  at  Col- 
lege, he  resided  with  his  uncle,  Mr.  Fisher,  and  de- 
voted his   whole   time  to  the   work   of  his   classes. 


94  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.  chap.  i. 

Notwithstanding  the  desultory  nature  of  his  pre- 
paratory studies,  he  soon  found  himself  able  to  hold 
his  own  among  his  fellow-students.  In  one  of  his 
first  letters  home  he  says — "  I  am  getting  on  in  the 
classes  much  better  than  I  could  have  expected." 

At  the  beginning  of  the  second  session,  he  found 
it  more  convenient  to  be  in  a  lodging  of  his  own,  his 
uncle's  house  being  at  a  considerable  distance  from 
the  College.  He  was  to  have  hard  work  at  the 
classes,  "  the  double,"  he  says,  "  of  what  I  had  last 
year;"  and  it  would  take  all  his  time  and  strength 
to  enable  him  to  make  even  a  "  respectable  appear- 
ance." Additional  work,  therefore,  in  the  way  of 
bread-winning  could  not  yet  be  thought  of.  There 
remained  to  him  still  the  greater  part  of  the  £20 
which  he  had  saved  before  leaving  home,  and  that 
must  be  made  to  last,  if  possible,  until  he  was  able 
to  earn  something  more.  He  and  a  companion  simi- 
larly situated  shared  a  single  room,  which  was  bed- 
room and  study  for  both.  In  his  personal  expenses 
he  practised  the  strictest  economy  with  such  success, 
that  in  a  short  time  we  find  him  writing  to  his 
father: — "If  I  had  a  bit  of  the  pig  to  use  at  dinner- 
time, I  could  keep  my  expenses  of  meat,  lodging, 
and  light  within  five  shillings  a-week,  which  you 
will  acknowledge  to  be  little.  ...  It  will  be  as 
well  not  to  tell  anybody  this,  for  they  might  think  it 
impossible  to  live  in  Glasgow  at  that  rate  without 
living  very  mean ;  but  I  am  very  comfortable." 
And  towards  the  close  of  the  same  letter  : — "  Upon 


TOWN  AND  COUNTRY.  95 


the  whole,  I  surely  am  as  great  a  debtor  to  the 
bountiful  Giver  of  all  good  as  any  other  person 
alive.  I  have  everything  almost  that  I  could  wish, 
and  want  nothing  so  much  as  a  habitual  disposition 
of  thankfulness  to  God,  and  will  and  ability  to  live 
as  the  child  of  so  many  mercies." 

One  advantage  of  life  in  a  great  city,  which  he 
valued  highly,  was  the  opportunity  it  afforded  him 
of  enjoying  cultivated  Christian  society.  "  I  think 
I  feel,"  he  writes  to  his  sister,  "  as  much  inward 
satisfaction  and  delight  in  being  admitted  to  the 
society  of  men  who,  whether  we  consider  their  liter- 
ary attainments,  their  moral  rectitude  of  conduct, 
or  then  piety,  may  be  termed  the  excellent  ones  of  the 
earth,  as  even  Davie  Christie1  could  when  dancing 
hand-in-hand  with  the  fair  princesses  of  Peru." 

And  yet,  comparing  the  life  he  had  left  behind 
with  that  which  he  had  now  entered  upon,  he  felt 
and  owned  that  each  had  its  own  drawbacks,  each 
its  own  advantages.  He  found,  as  so  many  others 
have,  that  a  full  busy  life  requires  a  constant  watch- 
fulness, a  strong  habit  of  prayerfulness,  to  prevent 
the  highest  concerns  from  being  crowded  out  by 
others,  necessary,  though  of  less  importance.  The 
letter  above  quoted  closes  thus  : — "  In  conclusion,  I 
would  remark  that,  so  far  as  my  experience  goes,  of 
all  soils,  the  cloisters  of  a  college  are  the  most  un- 


1  Davie  Christie  was  a  noted  character  in  the  village,  who  had  tra- 
velled in  his  youth,  and  was  wont  to  tell  the  most  extraordinary  stories 
of  his  adventures. 


96  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.  chap,  l 

friendly  to  the  growth  of  that  heavenly  plant — piety. 
To  speak  plainly,  I  am  so  much  engaged  with  other 
duties  of  a  minor  importance,  that  I  am  almost  in- 
duced to  neglect  the  one  thing  needful.  Often  do  I 
now  look  back  with  a  longing  fond  regret  to  the  four 
years  of  my  life  which  I  spent  at  my  father's  and 
Freeland,  to  the  many  precious,  but,  alas  !  neglected 
opportunities  of  cultivating  the  graces  of  the  Spirit. 
I  might  then  have  attained  an  aversion  to  sin,  a  love 
of  holiness,  a  superiority  over  the  world,  and  devoted- 
ness  to  God,  which  would  now  have  been  of  unspeak- 
able importance.     Do  you  profit  by  my  experience." 

When  his  third  session  commenced,  he  had  to  face 
the  necessity  of  doing  something  for  his  own  main- 
tenance ;  and  accordingly  he  mentioned  to  one  or 
two  of  his  professors  his  desire  to  obtain  private 
teaching  for  two  or  three  hours  daily.  On  the 
recommendation  of  Sir  Daniel  Sandford,  he  was  em- 
ployed as  tutor  to  two  youths,  both  of  whom 
attended  the  University,  the  elder  one  being  in  the 
same  mathematical  class  as  himself.  He  was  en- 
gaged with  them  for  four  hours,  from  six  to  ten 
every  evening,  and  had  in  addition  to  prepare  him- 
self carefully  beforehand  for  the  lessons,  so  that  his 
own  work  was  left  to  be  done  late  at  night  or  in 
the  early  hours  of  the  morning. 

Now  that  he  saw  his  way  to  maintain  himself 
comfortably  by  his  own  exertions,  he  felt  justified 
in  a  somewhat  more  liberal  expenditure;  and  his 
first  care  was  to    procure    a   separate    lodging,    "  a 


chap.  i.  MONEY  MATTERS.  97 

room  to  himself," — a  privilege  which,  he  says,  he  had 
"long  looked  forward  to  with  anxiety,  a  companion 
in  a  single  room  being  a  great  bar  to  the  perform- 
ance of  religious  duties  with  pleasure  or  with  profit." 
His  pecuniary  difficulties  were,  however,  not  yet 
at  an  end.  No  arrangement  had  been  made  as  to 
the  time  when  he  should  be  paid  for  his  services, 
and  his  employers,  unaware  of  the  state  of  his 
finances,  allowed  month  after  month  to  pass  with- 
out proposing  to  settle  accounts  with  him ;  and 
though  he  had  fairly  earned  the  money,  and  was 
sorely  in  need  of  it,  he  could  not  summon  up 
courage  to  ask  for  it.  The  same  mixture  of  pride 
and  bashfulness  prevented  him  borrowing  anything 
till  reduced  to  extremities.  The  following  account 
of  his  dilemma  in  a  letter  to  his  father  was  written, 
as  he  takes  care  to  explain,  solely  for  their  amuse- 
ment at  home,  and  not  by  way  of  complaint : — 

To  his  Father. 

"  Glasgow,  26«A.  December  1831. 

" ....  If  you  get  the  newspapers  regu- 
larly, look  carefully  over  the  list  of  Scotch  bank- 
rupts, and  see  whether  my  name  be  among  them ; 
for  I  think  I  will  break  soon.  To  be  always  giving 
out  and  never  getting  anything  in,  is  enough  to 
break  anybody.  I  have  got  no  wages  yet.  If  I 
starve,  however,  it  is  with  plenty  within  my  reach. 
Some  people,  1  believe,  would  think  themselves  very 
G 


98  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.  chap.  i. 

well  off  if  they  could  get  siller  for  the  seekbi.  That 
not  the  case  with  me.  I  ha^e  money  offered  me 
again  and  again,  and  I  want  it,  because  I  am  not 
able  to  confess  that  I  stand  in  need  of  it.  I  got 
£1  from  Mr.  K.  already,  and  he  offered  me  another, 
but  I  told  him  I  did  not  need  it,  thinking  I  would 
receive  my  own  wages  before  I  ran  out.  Now  I 
have  just  7d.,  and  I  have  to  attend  a  great  tem- 
perance coffee  feast  on  Friday,  a  ticket  to  which  will 
cost  me  a  shilling.  Therefore  it  is  clear  I  must 
make  known  my  difficulties  before  that  time.  I 
know  you  will  be  disposed  to  laugh  at  instead  of 
sympathising  with  me.  But  you  must  recollect  I 
may  find  a  difficulty  where  you  would  find  none. 
Well  do  I  recollect  how  you  used  to  treat  me, 
measuring  my  feelings  by  your  own,  never  think- 
ing there  might  be  any  difference.  When  I  told 
you  I  could  not  go  to  ask  a  horse  from  Mr.  Pringle, 
all  the  answer  I  got  was—'  Man,  he'll  no  strike  ye,' 
and  with  this  I  was  packed  off." 

Fully  occupied  as  he  was  at  this  time,  he  yet  was 
keenly  alive  to  all  that  went  on  around  him  in 
the  great  city,  and  took  what  part  he  could  in  the 
public  movements  of  the  day,  as  the  two  following 
letters  will  show : — 

To  his  Father. 

"Glasgow,  16th  January  1832. 
"  I  have  just  returned  from  a  grand  meeting  of  the 


chap.  i.     NEGRO  EMANCIPATION  MEETING.  99 

friends  of  negro  emancipation — immediate  emanci- 
pation. It  was  truly  a  noble  scene.  Here  are  the 
advantages  of  living  in  Glasgow.  We  have  not  a 
craw  park  and  serpentine  river,  and  a  peaceful 
hamlet,  hiding  itself  from  view  in  the  shade  of 
varied  plantations ;  but,  enthusiastic  admirer  of 
nature  in  her  simplest  garb  as  I  always  have  been, 
I  have  seen  and  heard  to-night  what  I  value  far 
above  them — I  have  had  an  opportunity  of  raising 
my  voice  in  unison  with  that  of  thousands  of  fellow 
Christians  in  one  unanimous  and  loud  demand  that 
slavery,  which  we  consider  a  foul  blot  upon  our 
national  character,  be  immediately  abolished;  that 
his  birthright  be  restored  to  every  one  from  whom 
it  has  been  torn  away ;  that  the  slave  be  made 
free — free  to  cherish  and  protect  the  wife  of  his 
bosom,  to  provide  for  his  family,  to  instruct  his 
children,  to  improve  his  mind,  to  worship  his  God. 
It  grieves  one's  heart  to  think  what  is  done  under 
the  sun  for  filthy  lucre's  sake.  We  had  Mr.  Knibb, 
one  of  the  lately  persecuted  missionaries  from 
Jamaica,  who  made  an  able  speech.  I  cannot  con- 
vey to  you  any  idea  of  its  excellence ;  it  was  cal- 
culated to  rouse  the  most  obtuse  to  pity  for  the 
oppressed,  and  indignation  at  their  guilty  oppres- 
sors. All  the  dissenting  clergymen  were  present, 
and  a  cloud  "of  laymen  connected  with  the  Estab- 
lished Church,  but  (tell  it  not  in  Gath)  not  one  of 
the  clergymen  of  the  Church.  They  are  very  good 
men,  but  it  is  said  they  arc  afraid  of  offending  the 


100  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  i. 

opulent  merchants  of  Glasgow,  who  are  almost  all 
in  some  way  connected  Avith  the  West  Indies. 

To  his  Father. 

"  Glasgow,  19th  May  1832. 
"  4  .  .  .  You  will  hear  of  our  Reform  meet- 
ings. We  have  had  two  since  the  news  of  the 
defeat  of  ministers  arrived — one  on  Saturday,  and 
one  on  Thursday.  They  were  both  large  ;  but  that 
on  Thursday  was  by  far  the  largest.  It  is  said  here, 
and  I  believe  with  truth,  that  it  was  the  largest  mass 
of  human  beings  ever  collected  in  Scotland.  The 
Herald  (a  Tory  paper)  estimates  the  number  at 
120,000 ;  others  call  it  150,000.  It  was  truly  a  splen- 
did sight.  The  afternoon  was  very  fine,  and  they 
continued  assembled  for  more  than  three  hours.  I 
went  round  and  round  it  on  all  sides.  Round  the 
hustings,  where  the  speakers  were,  on  a  level  part 
of  the  Green,  but  not  far  from  where  it  begins  to 
rise,  the  people  were  closely  wedged  together ;  be- 
yond that  they  were  more  open,  so  that  you  could 
find  your  way  through  them  without  much  difficulty. 
The  view  from  below  upwards  upon  the  people  who 
occupied  the  rising  ground,  was  peculiarly  grand, 
rendered  very  picturesque,  from  time  to  time,  by 
expressions  of  assent  to  resolutions  that  were  passed 
on  the  hustings.  Just  think  of  a  huzza  and  flourish- 
ing of  hats  from  so  vast  a  multitude.  The  throwing 
up  of  boys'  bonnets  contributed  as  much  as  any- 
thing to  the  interest  of  the  scene.     Of  course,  you 


REFORM.  101 


can  have  no  idea  how  that  could  be  worth  looking 
at,  unless  you  stood  at  the  side  of  such  a  company, 
and  saw  the  whole  air  darkened  with  the  fantastic 
movements  of  the  greasy  bonnets  as  they  crossed 
each  other  in  their  rise  and  fall. 

"  I  do  not  pay  much  attention  to  politics ;  but  it 
is  impossible  in  these  times  not  to  be  attached  to 
one  party  more  than  another, — so  I  profess  myself 
a  Reformer.  I  wish  the  people  to  obtain  their 
abstract  rights  ;  they  have  been  ruled  too  much  in 
the  way  of  cattle.  They  ought  to  be  treated  as 
rational  creatures,  the  very  lowest  of  them,  and 
made  aware  of  their  own  dignity,  of  their  equality 
with  the  highest  of  their  lordly  superiors.  It  would 
be  one  motive,  among  others,  to  virtuous  conduct, 
viz.,  a  desire  to  act  worthy  of  the  character  they 
sustained." 

Throughout  all  these  letters  there  flows  a  strong, 
continuous  stream  of  love  for  his  home  and  his 
friends,  which  finds  expression  in  many  different 
ways.  Here  is  a  passage  perhaps  as  character- 
istic as  any. 

"  After  taxing  my  memory  a  long  time  for  some- 
thing else  to  say,  nothing  will  come  up  but  a 
general  feeling  of  affection  towards  all  my  friends 
at  home  ;  but  it  would  be  a  hopeless  task  to  express 
it  more  particularly.  I  love,  in  a  greater  or  less 
degree,    every  person   whom   I  know,   and  also    all 


102  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  i. 

that  I  do  not  know,  and  this  is  one  grand  source 
of  my  happiness." 

It  was  the  grand  source,  too,  of  the  love  which 
flowed  so  freely  to  him  from  every  side. 

In  the  same  letter,  the  following  passage  occurs, 
showing  that  the  subject  of  temperance,  which 
occupied  so  much  of  his  attention  in  later  years, 
had,  even  at  this  early  date,  taken  a  strong  hold 
on  his  mind. 

"  I  have  told  you  before  that  I  just  write  away  at 
what  is  uppermost  in  my  mind,  until  I  arrive  at 
the  end  of  my  paper.  Well,  to  keep  to  the  old  plan, 
I  am  just  thinking  of  temperance  ;  and  the  longer 
I  live,  I  think,  the  more  I  think  of  it ;  and  the  longer 
I  live,  the  more  I  wonder  that  many  good  people 
seem  to  think  so  little  of  it.  It  appears  to  me  that 
mankind  have  been  bound  by  some  magic  spell  from 
opening  their  eyes  upon  the  mightiest  evil  that  sin 

has  introduced  among  the  family  of  Adam 

Oh,  how  I  would  rejoice  to  see  a  more  active  war- 
fare commenced  against  the  spirit-drinking  customs 
of  society  in  my  own  native  parish  ! " 

Flowers  are  another  favourite  subject,  coming  up 
in  almost  every  letter.  When  a  parcel  is  to  be  sent 
from  home,  the  invariable  request  is,  "  Be  sure  to 
send  me  a  flower."  One  summer,  when  his  pupils 
lived  some  miles  out  of  town,  the  long  walk  to  and 
from  their  residence  was  amply  compensated  by 
the  privilege  of  getting  "  as  many  flowers  as  I  like 
to  carry  away.     I  put  them  inside  my  umbrella  in 


chap.  i.  HOME.  103 

great  numbers,  and  never  want  a  splendid  flower  on 
my  table."  Several  letters  contain  minute  directions 
for  the  arrangement  of  the  little  garden  at  home, 
and  for  the  management  of  certain  rose  trees,  which 
he  had  grafted  when  at  home  for  a  few  days'  holi- 
day. This  was  a  taste  which  he  never  lost,  though 
he  was  well  advanced  in  life  before  he  had  oppor- 
tunity to  gratify  it  fully. 

The  following,  addressed  to  a  fellow-student,  is  a 
specimen  of  a  lighter  strain. 

To  Mr.  Mackail. 

"Glasgow,  23cZ  June  1834. 
"  These  are  to  certify  that  I,  Mr.  W.  Arnot,  am  at 
this  time  in  perfect  health,  and  as  they  leave  me 
thus,  they  fervently  hope,  my  dear  friend,  to  find  you 
the  same.  The  reason  why  I  write  so  long  before 
Thursday  is,  I  came  in  wet,  and  feeling  'a'  ither- 
wise,'  and  unable  to  do  anything  else,  I  thought  I 
could  not  do  better  than  write  a  letter  to  you,  as  any 
kind  of  thing  will  do  for  that  purpose.  You  will  not 
therefore  expect  anything  very  bright.  I  write  at 
this  time  chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  telling  that  I  am 
going  to  Forgau  for  three  or  four  weeks  in  July,  so 
that  you  need  not  write  to  me  now  till  the  end  of 
that  month  ;  but  as  soon  as  you  liue  after  that.  I  am 
very  full  of  the  thing,  you  may  be  sure — think  about 
it  during  the  day,  and  dream  about  it  during  the 
night.     I  am  a  great  child  in  all  matters  connected 


104  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  i. 

with  home.  I  must  learn  to  judge  charitably  of 
others  who  have  a  weak  side,  although  it  may  not 
be  the  very  side  that  happens  to  be  weak  in  my 
own  moral  structure.  .  .  .  With  regard  to  my 
proposed  visit,  I  shall  not  tell  you  what  is  upper- 
most in  my  mind, — whether  it  is  my  father,  or  the 
milk-pantry,  or  my  sisters,  or  Willie  Paton,  or  F or- 
gan, or  the  serpentine  river,  or  the  minister,  or  Mr. 
Low's  three  daughters,  or  the  gun  and  the  rabbits, 
or  my  flower-border  and  the  roses,  or  the  straw- 
berries, or  the  haymaking,  or  the  WAGES  I  may  get 
for  it,  or, — or, — as  I  said  before,  I  cannot, — that  is,  I 
will  not  tell  whether  it  is  any  or  none  of  the  above- 
mentioned  that  comes  oftenest  into  my  cranium ; 
but  if  I  return  in  safety,  you  may  expect  to  receive 
an  epistle  early  in  August,  with  perhaps  a  touch  of 
the  descriptive  in  it,  or  it  may  be  of  the  pathetic,  or 
some  other — ic. 

"  I  am  very  idle  still ;  I  see  it  is  in  the  bone.  A 
change  of  circumstances  has  no  effect.  All  that  I 
have  done  yet  is,  read  some  two  or  three  books  for 
the  essay  on  the  Jewish  law.  I  find  it  rather  an 
uninviting  subject.  I  shall  write  it  now,  but  not 
with  very  much  ease;  I  think  I  shall  do  the  other 
one  better.  I  get  much  good,  I  think,  from  our 
theological  society ;  we  have  a  fine  discussion  once 
every  week.  I  am  a  member  of  the  St.  John's 
preaching  society  too;  we  have  a  sederunt  in  it 
from  half-past  twelve  to  half-past  three  on  Saturday. 
I  undertook  to  be  orator  one  day,  and  finding  I  had 


chap.  i.  THEOLOGICAL  SOCIETY.  105 

nothing  suitable  but  my  homily,  and  that  it  was  too 
short,  I  set  about  eking  a  piece  to  it  on  the  Satur- 
day morning  before  I  went  away,  which  turned  out 
to  be  an  eloquent  bit,  and  got  unqualified  praise, 
whereas  the  other  parts  were  freely  criticised. — ■ 
Yours,  W.  A." 

The  theological  society  alluded  to,  he  describes  to 
his  father  in  the  following  terms  : — 

"  It  consists  of  six  students  (if  I  had  not  been  one 
of  them  I  would  have  said  they  were  the  very  best 
about  College).  We  drink  tea,  and  crack  very 
freely  from  six  to  seven ;  then  till  ten  have  a  close 
conversational  discussion  on  some  doctrines  or  pass- 
ages of  Scripture.     It's  grand !  " 

The  visit  so  eagerly  looked  forward  to  was  as 
keenly  enjoyed  in  the  reality  as  in  the  anticipation. 
On  his  return  he  writes  to  the  same  friend : — 

To  Mr.  Mackail. 

"  Glasgow,  21st  August  1834. 
"  ....  I  had  the  happiest  four  weeks  in 
July  ever  I  spent,  I  think.  Went  with  Dr.  Hooker1 
and  his  class  by  Loch  Lomond  to  Killin,  thence  to 
Loch  Earn,  Crieff,  and  Perth,  and  spent  all  the 
remainder  at  home.  Have  allowed  the  place,  ay, 
and  the  people  too,  to  come  still  nearer  my  heart 
than  ever — verbum  sapienti.     Perhaps  I  may  write  a 

1  Professor  of  Botany  in  Glasgow  University. 


106  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  A  KNOT.  chap.  r. 

history  of  my  town,  and  dedicate  it  to  yon ;  there 
would  be  some  sentimentalism  in  it.     .     .     ." 

To  his  Father. 

"  KiLiiAEDiNNT,  June,  9th,  1836. 

" It  has  just  this  moment  entered 

my  head — I  fear  it  is  too  late — to  ask  if  you  have 
any  difficulty  with  your  rent  this  year.  If  you  have 
yet  any  trouble  in  raising  it,  rather  than  draw  upon 
your  pose,  let  me  know,  and  I  shall  feel  much  pleasure 
in  paying  back  a  small  part  of  my  great  debts.  1 
am  a  few  pounds  above  water  this  summer.  The 
prize  money  set  me  on  my  feet 

"  I  was  in  town,  as  I  said,  on  Sabbath,  but  had 
no  time  to  think  of  your  letters.  I  rode  in  in  the 
morning  before  breakfast,  met  my  class  in  the  morn- 
ing, stayed  at  church  till  four  o'clock,  home  to  dinner, 
and  to  my  other  class  in  the  village  in  the  evening. 
I  like  such  a  busy  day." 

"  Kilmakdinny,  21th  August  1836. 

"  My  dear  Father, — 

" Both    you   and  I  ought   to    think 

as  little  as  possible  about  my  success  or  honour 
in  the  world ;  and  rather  consider  how  the  talents 
God  has  been  pleased  to  give  me  may  be  best 
spent  in  His  service.  This  I  know  to  be  my  duty, 
and  though  in  much  weakness  through  manifold 
temptations,  I  am  trying  to  keep  it  before  my  mind." 


chap.  i.  LEA  VING  COLLEGE.  107 

To  the  Rev.  James  Stevenson,  of  Kilmarnock 
(afterwards  of  Ayr). 

"  Kilmardinny,  17th  August  1836. 

" If  you  look  in  a  map  to  Glasgow,  or 

any  large  city,  you  will  see,  at  one  side,  a  great  many 
roads  converging  towards  it.  They  are  concentrated 
on  one  point,  and  you  cannot  distinguish  the  one 
from  the  other  until  they  are  seen  issuing  from  the 
opposite  side,  and  regularly  ^'verging  as  they  recede 
from  the  point  of  confluence.  Methinks  this  is  some- 
thing like  our  earthly  pilgrimage,  with  especial 
reference  to  the  time  spent  at  the  University.  You. 
and  I,  and  our  other  College  friends,  performed  the 
first  stages  of  our  journey  far  from  each  other;  we 
met  and  walked  side  by  side  along  the  '  curriculum  ;' 
and  then  one,  and  another,  and  another,  strikes  off 
at  a  tangent,  and  is  soon  lost  in  the  distance,  leav- 
ing a  vacuum  in  the  hearts  of  those  left  behind. 
Did  you  ever  read  tragical  ballads  ?  You  must  have 
heard  of  the  violent  disruption  of  young  hearts  by 
the  mandate  of  an  '  angry  father.'  Why  does  not 
some  poet  immortalise  our  loves — the  short,  clear 
winter  day  of  union — the  long,  dark,  wintry  night 
of  widowhood  that  follows?  Pardon,  dear  sir,  the 
style  of  my  effusions ;  do  not  call  them  ravings  : 
blame  them,  but  call  them  by  a  softer  name.  This, 
I  fear,  is  not  a  subject  for  me;  I  grow  melancholy 
apace.  In  the  prospect  of  leaving  College  for  good 
and  all,  I  do  feel  a  tearing,  rugging  process  going  on 


108  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  r. 

within.  I  daresay  I  shall  retain  a  sort  of  romantic 
affection  for  the  material,  local  habitation,  but  not 
for  its  own  sake ;  'tis  not  the  stone  and  lime  I  care 
for,  but  the  flesh  and  blood.  I  would  not  expend 
my  heart's  affections  on  '  time-honoured  courts,'  but 
upon  the  '  congenial  spirits '  that  flitted  through 
them.  Well,  the  journey  is  before  us ;  we  know  not 
its  length  nor  its  direction,  its  joys  nor  its  sorrows; 
it  is  ours  to  gird  ourselves  and  be  ready.  It  is  com- 
pared to  a  voyage  as  well  as  a  journey.  The 
mariner  clears  his  cables,  hoists  his  sail,  turns  the 
bow  towards  the  port,  and  awaits  the  wind.  So  we, 
in  starting  into  life,  supplied  with  much  of  the  means 
of  doing  good,  have  just  to  set  and  keep  our  faces 
Zion-wards,  and  depend  for  impulse  on  the  Spirit  of 
God.  When,  amid  the  vicissitudes  of  mortal  life, 
lover  and  friend  are  put  far  away  from  us,  we  shall 
look  above  the  hills  to  the  Maker  of  heaven  and 
earth,  the  Keeper  of  Israel,  from  whom  cometh 
our  help ;  He  will  preserve  our  outgoing  and  our 
incoming." 

To  his  Father. 

"  Kilmaedinny,  2"illi  September  1836. 

" There  is  to  be  a  church  built  in  my 

Sabbath  School  district.  I  felt  for  a  moment  a  secret 
wish  (the  first  thought  of  the  kind,  I  think,  that 
ever  entered  my  head),  to  be  placed  as  watchman 
upon  that  tower.     You  recollect  the  smoke  was  like 


LICENSED.  109 


to  suffocate  you  when  you  passed?  Well,  so  much 
do  I  like  it,  that  if  the  talent  which  God  has  given 
me  should  prove  suitable  to  the  task,  I  think  I  could 
be  willing  to  spend  the  strong  part  of  my  life  labour- 
ing among  the  coals  and  smoke  of  St.  Rollox.  This, 
however,  is  a  thought  which  will  not  be  expressed 
to  any  creature  here.  The  new  churches  in  these 
neglected  districts  require  the  best  men,  while  they 
afford  the  heaviest  work  and  the  smallest  pay." 

On  the  4th  of  October  1837,  Mr.  Arnot  was  licensed 
as  a  preacher  by  the  Presbytery  of  Glasgow.  At 
this  time  he  began  to  keep  a  private  journal,  which 
was  continued  thereafter  with  more  or  less  regu- 
larity during  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  The 
first  entries  are  as  follow  : — 

"  Glasgow,  October  5,  1837. 

"  Yesterday  was  licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Glasgow. 

"  Delightful  meeting  for  prayer  with  two  very  kind 
friends  in  the  morning.  Rendered  uneasy  in  Presby- 
tery by  commendations  of  my  sermon — too  strong 
in  any  circumstances,  and  certainly  injudicious  on 
that  occasion.  It  just  gave  me  additional  difficulty 
in  fighting  against  pride,  which  in  me  is  strong 
enough  without  any  such  external  auxiliary." 

"Glasgow,  October  2 4th. 

"  Preached  on  three  different  Sabbaths.  Not 
much  of  the  fear  of  man,  but  cannot  feel  enough  of 
the  fe.ar  of  God.  Cannot  speak  so  affectionately  and 
so  honestly  as  I  do  in  the  Sabbath  class.    Frequently 


110  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap  t. 

detect  myself  writing  and  speaking  beyond  my  own 
experience,  though  I  know  it  to  be  true.  Think  it 
not  right  to  refrain  from  preaching  thus,  but  state 
the  whole  truth  so  far  as  I  know  and  believe  it,  and 
then  pray  for  that  experimental  acquaintance  with 
it  which  I  know  to  be  wanting.  Preached  at 
Larbert  on  Sabbath  with  a  view  to  the  vacant 
assistantship.  Feel  very  little  anxiety  about  it. 
How  far  right  I  cannot  tell.  I  was  invited  without 
any  application.  It  lies  with  the  people  to  pass  a 
judgment  on  my  fitness  or  unfitness.  If  that  judg- 
ment shall  be  favourable,  then  comes  my  responsi- 
bility to  devote  whatever  talent  God  has  given  me, 
faithfully  to  His  service  in  the  Gospel  of  His  Son. 
Money  matters  no  temptation,  as  I  could  be  as  well 
here.  Thankful  to  be  freed  from  this,  but  aware 
that  self-seeking  may  assume  many  forms.  God 
preserve  me  from  all  of  them  !  " 

Immediately  after  this  he  was  appointed  assistant 
to  the  Rev.  John  Bonar,  then  minister  of  the  united 
parishes  of  Larbert  and  Dunipace,  and  entered  on 
his  duties  in  November  1837. 

In  a  letter  to  his  father,  he  enumerates  thus  the 
advantages  of  the  situation : — "  It  is  the  very  best 
possible  place  for  me.  The  following  are  some  of 
its  good  qualities.  The  minister,  Mr.  Bonar,  is  a 
very  good  man ;  it  is  an  invaluable  privilege  to  be 
near  him.  Secondly,  it  will  be  necessary  to  get  only 
one  new  sermon  every  week,  as  the  congregations 
are    entirely  different,    and   the   same   sermons   are 


chap.  i.  GOES  TO  LARBERT.  Ill 

given  in  both  churches.  This  makes  the  work 
easier,  a  great  matter  for  a  beginner.  Thirdly, 
there  is  a  high  character  attached  to  the  assistant  at 
Larbert,  on  account  of  the  eminent  men  who  have 
occupied  the  situation.  I  can  trace  the  history  back 
only  a  few  years,  to  a  Mr.  Lumsden,  who  is  now  a 
minister  at  Arbroath.  He  was  succeeded  by  Mr. 
Hanna  (son-in-law  of  Dr.  Chalmers),  who  was  only 
six  months  here  when  he  was  made  the  minister  of  a 
parish  near  Glasgow.  Then  followed  Mr.  M'Cheyne, 
who  is  now  a  minister  in  Dundee ;  and  lastly  Mr. 
Somerville,  who  is  to  be  ordained  in  Glasgow  on  the 
30th  of  this  month.  So  you  observe  it  is  no  small 
matter  to  be  placed  on  such  a  list.  .  .  .  The 
manse  is  at  Larbert,  and  my  lodging  about  hah  a 
mile  from  it.  The  lodging  is  said  to  be  comfortable, 
a  capital  landlady,  who  'greets'  regularly  when  the 
lodger  goes  away.     She  has  had  all  the  assistants." 

After  some  experience  of  the  landlady  he  writes  : — 
"  I  cannot  give  you  anything  like  a  history  of  Mrs. 
Graham's  kindness.  It  is  sometimes  like  to  make 
me  laugh.  And  mind,  it  is  not  a  blundering  kind- 
ness. She  has  the  hands  and  the  skill  to  do  every- 
thing in  the  best  order,  as  well  as  the  heart  to  do  it 
in  the  kindest  way." 

To  Mr.  Halle  y. 

"Larbert,  9th  February  183S. 

"  My  dear  Friend, — 

" ....   I  have  been  now  twelve  weeks  in  this 


112  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  i. 

place,  preaching  every  Sabbath,  never  absent.  It 
has  done  me  some  good.  I  begin  to  feel  my  wants 
better  than  I  did  ;  but  that  is  the  amount  of  the 
improvement.  I  think  there  is  more  singleness  of 
aim  and  honesty  of  purpose  :  but  none  of  the  im- 
proved execution.  I  know  somewhat  better  than  I 
did  what  preaching  should  be  ;  but  I  cannot  preach 
yet.  The  people  don't  find  fault ;  they  come  out 
well,  and  like  the  new  helper.  But  on  looking  over  all 
that  I  have  said,  there  appears  nothing  pointed  and 
special  enough ;  nothing  which  I  could  expect  to  be 
effectual.  I  have  a  design  upon  them,  if  grace  is 
given  me  to  accomplish  it.  My  style  of  preaching 
must  be  greatly  altered.  While  I  have  heard  of 
much  general  commendation,  I  have  met  with  only 
one  instance  of  any  part  of  my  sermons  sticking  and 
doing  good.  And  what  is  rather  remarkable,  the 
person  did  not  hear  it, — was  ill  of  fever  when  it  was 
delivered, — but  had  got  a  clear  account  of  it  from 
the  rest  of  the  family,  retailed  it  very  distinctly 
back  again  to  me,  and  pointed  out  as  clearly  as  I 
could  have  done,  and  with  much  feeling,  the  thing 
that  '  did  gude.'  Visiting  the  sick  occupies  a  great 
part  of  my  time.  Upon  the  whole,  I  have  derived 
most  benefit  from  this  department,  and  liked  it  best. 
Many  delightful  patients." 

To  his  Father. 

"L,\rbert,  5th  March  1838. 
"  I  do   not  know   what  to   think  of  you  now.     I 


chap,  i-  WORK  AT  LARBERT.  113 

cannot  tell  from  the  state  of  the  burns  here  whether 
your  ice  is  away  ;  but  I  fear  not.  It  is  frost  this 
morning  again.  If  I  could  know  the  very  time  of 
the  break,  I  would  come  over  the  hill  to  see  it,  and 
help  you  to  had  the  old  boat." 

This  was  a  process  he  often  described  to  his 
children  as  one  of  the  most  interesting  events  of 
the  winter  season  in  his  home.  At  a  time  of  thaw, 
after  the  river  had  been  frozen,  the  ice  came  down 
in  large  sheets,  borne  with  great  rapidity  on  the 
swollen  stream,  and  would  have  crushed  the  ferry- 
boat, or  torn  it  from  its  moorings,  had  not  means 
been  used  to  protect  it.  This  was  done  by  a  man 
standing  on  the  shore  with  a  long  pole  to  ward  off 
the  pieces  of  ice  as  they  approached  the  boat,  and 
guide  them  in  another  direction. 

To  his  Father. 

"Larbert,  2Uh  March  1838. 
"...  I  am  to  have  a  weekly  convocation,  in  my 
castle,  of  no  less  than  four  dominies,  whom  I  am  to 
teach  Latin.  They  have  schools  in  different  parts  of 
the  parish ;  all  young  men,  fighting  their  way  for- 
ward, some  of  them  through  great  difficulties.  I 
need  not  tell  you  that  it  will  give  me  very  peculiar 
pleasure  to  be  of  use  to  them.  I  can  remember  well 
enough  how  glad  I  was  of  a  hint  from  John  Morton, 
when  I  came  to  a  cramp  sentence.  The  one  in 
whose  school  I  teach  my  class  convoys  me  halfway 
H 


114  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  t. 

home,  for  the  sake  of  getting  a  lecture  in  the  dark 
on  the  difficulties  of  his  lesson." 

To  Mr.  Mackail. 

"May  2d,  1838. 

"My  dear  John,— 

"...  I  am  weakly  a  little  to-day  ;  ears  buzzing 
still.  I  doubt  the  preaching  will  weather  me.  Yes- 
terday, while  I  was  speaking  fast  and  strong,  I  felt 
my  legs  literally  shaking,  and  had  to  lean  on  the 
side  of  the  pulpit  for  support  to  them ;  felt,  too,  the 
heart  beating  up  at  the  tongue.  The  shirt  cuts  a 
very  laughable  figure  when  thrown  off,  metamor- 
phosed into  a  dishclout.  An  hour  after  coming 
home  pulse  was  98,  and  at  10  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing 76,  and  to-day  GO.  Mr.  Bonar  frightens  me 
not  a  little  by  the  increased  frequency  of  his  orders 
to  take  care  of  myself,  without  assigning  any  reason. 

Moreover,   he  insists   upon    getting   a 

ponv  ;  and  this  morning  (I  breakfasted  with  him) 
he  applied  a  weighty  argument,  in  the  shape  of  eight 
hard  sovereigns,  to  help  to  buy  it.  He  says  he 
has  all  that  of  overplus  in  the  subscriptions  for  my 
stipend  ;  but  I  don't  understand  the  thing,  for  lie 
does  not  receive  a  receipt  for  it. 

"  Yesterday  I  gave  lecture  the  fifth  of  the  Nehe- 
miah  series  ;  announcing  at  the  conclusion  that  the 
bearing  of  the  passage  (2  chap.)  upon  the  question 
whether  it  is  consistent,  etc.,  for  governors,  etc., 
to  provide,  etc.,  could  not  be   overlooked,  was  too 


citap.  i.  WORK  AT  LARBERT.  115 

important  to  be  pushed  in  at  the  close,  and  would 
find  a  place  in  next  lecture.  There's  a  bold  stroke 
for  you ;  whether  a  prudent  one  remains  to  be  de- 
cided. I  propose  to  devote  a  whole  lecture  to  it 
and  the  corresponding  passage  in  Ezra " 

From  his  Diary. 

"Larbert,  1st  August  1838. 
"  Preaching  during  nine  months  every  Sabbath, 
and  frequently  on  other  days.  People  come  out 
well,  and  are  very  attentive ;  but  little  appearance 
of  fruit  as  yet.  A  few  who  appear  to  be  already 
God's  people  have  told  me  of  particular  things  from 
which  they  derived  benefit.  But  know  of  no  care- 
less sinner  awakened.  Classes  all  very  attentive 
and  careful ;  but  none  of  that  work  of  grace  where- 
with the  Divine  Spirit  accompanied  my  poor  labours 
at  St.  Rollox.  I  have  been  (through  many  sins 
toiling  these  nine  months,  and  I  have  caught  noth- 
ing. Nevertheless,  Lord  Jesus,  at  iliy  word  I  will 
continue  to  let  down  •  the  net." 

To  Mr.  Halley,  at  Madeira. 

"Larbert,  29th  June  1838. 

"My  dear  Friend, — 

" .  .  .  .  About  my  own  work.  With  many 
difficulties  without  and  within  myself  to  contend 
with,  I  like  it  nevertheless.  I  like  Mr.  Bonar 
vastly.  He  may  have  had  better  assistants  in 
other — in  all   other  respects,  but  I  think  he  never 


116  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  i. 

had  one  more  thoroughly  willing  to  do  what  he 
wishes — to  take  his  advice,  and  comply  with  it  in 
everything.  I  let  out  everything  to  him ;  all  my 
difficulties  are  poured  into  his  willing  ear.  In 
everything  he  is  very  kind.  But  ten  days  ago, 
the  morning  after  our  Sacramental  Fast,  he  received 
a  letter  from  Edinburgh,  informing  him  of  the  dan- 
gerous illness  of  his  sister — one  out  of  three  who 
lived  with  their  mother — smallpox.  He  went  off 
immediately,  just  sending  me  a  note  to  take  care 
of  everything,  and  he  would  be  back  on  Saturday. 
On  Friday  forenoon  his  sister  died ;  she  was  some- 
what delicate  ;  deservedly  the  dawtie  both  of  the 
family  and  strangers.  He  came  home  on  Saturday 
evening  at  eight  o'clock ;  postponed  his  feelings,  to 
use  his  own  express  on ;  preached  and  presided  at 
the  Sacrament  next  day  without  betraying  the 
slightest  symptom  of  grief;  returned  to  Edinburgh 
on  Monday  to  the  funeral ;  stayed  till  Thursday 
with  his  mother,  and  returned,  going  through  his 
work  all  as  before.  There  was  something  about  his 
demeanour  in  private  that  made  us  stand  in  awe 
of  him  ;  altogether  as  much  of  the  moral  sub- 
limity as  I  have  ever  seen.  His  smile  was  sweet, 
and  frequent  as  before,  but  we  were  not  able  to 
respond  to  it. 

"  And  now,  for  the  most  important  part  of  your 
letter  —  your  '  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ? ' 
With   your    solemn   adjuration   before    me  ('I  pray 


LETTER  TO  H ALLEY.  117 


you  to  deal  faithfully '),  and  with  the  conviction 
on  my  mind  that  unfaithful  dealing  might  endanger 
the  eternal  well-being  of  one  whom  I  dearly  love, 
I  must  yet  say  I  can  see  no  bar  to  your  happiness, 
except  certain  temptations  of  an  enemy  striving 
to  hold  to  the  last.  From  the  moment  I  first  read 
your  letter,  I  have  been  impressed  strongly  with  the 
hope  that  peace  is  at  hand — that  before  you  read 
this,  much  of  your  pain  will  be  removed.  The 
whole  tenor  of  the  thing  leads  me  to  this  conclu- 
sion. So  much  ingenuity  has  to  be  expended  in 
getting  up  the  'hard  things,'  that  I  believe  you 
must  soon  perceive  they  have  been  got  up.  You 
must  know  the  history  of  the  poet  Cowper.  You 
must  have  wondered  at  his  perverse  ingenuity  in 
getting  up  a  case  against  himself.  It  is,  I  believe, 
a  form  of  temptation  resorted  to  when  the  soporifics 
will  no  longer  affect  the  patient.  It  is  something 
like  the  retaliation  of  a  cruel  enemy,  who,  though 
beaten  and  hopeless  of  victory,  will  nevertheless 
harass  by  every  means  in  his  power,  pleased  with 
the  opportunity  of  inflicting  pain.  You  will  not 
misunderstand  me,  as  if  I  meant  to  say  that  the 
evils  of  which  you  complain  are  light — that  your 
sius  are  not  such  as  should  make  you  tremble.  Far 
from  it — far  from  trying  to  extenuate  the  evil  in  the 
slightest  degree,  I  would  have  you  cherish  to  the 
last  the  conviction  that  in  you  dwelleth  no  good 
thing.  And,  in  so  far  as  your  letter  exhibits  its 
marks  of  this  conviction  being  pervading  and  deep- 


118  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  i. 

rooted,  I  rejoice  in  it.  It  is  right  that  an  impure, 
sinning  creature  should  feel  this.  It  were  dis- 
honouring to  God  if  he  did  not.  Every  mouth 
must  be  stopped.  The  law  of  God  must  be  magni- 
fied ;  but  His  mercy  must  be  magnified  too.  You 
have  deserved  wrath,  the  anger  of  a  Holy  God.  To 
think  otherwise  (although  a  very  common  thing) 
betrays  great  ignorance  and  daring  presumption. 
The  man  Christ  Jesus  has  magnified  and  honoured 
the  law  in  all  its  requirements,  and  offered  an 
atonement  sufficient  to  expiate  the  world's  guilt  (for, 
I  suppose,  you  will  have  no  theological  objection  to 
this  expression  in  its  plain  meaning).  To  think 
otherwise  on  this  point  would  betray  equal  ignor- 
ance and  equal  presumption,  because  the  Bible 
affirms  it.  Now,  I  beg  you  to  observe  there  is 
another  thing  which  the  Bible  affirms — '  Believe  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt  be  saved!  You 
dare  not  deny  that.  Change  it  from  a  general 
into  a  particular  proposition,  only  applying  it  to 
some  one  who  really  does  believe,  and  still  it  is 
true — still  we  must  believe  it.  So  far  you  will 
follow  me  and  agree ;  but  I  think  I  hear  you  say, 
'  Here  is  the  very  point  at  issue.  In  making  a 
particular  proposition  out  of  the  general,  does  it 
apply  to  me — do  I  believe  ? '  Now,  I  have  no  other 
means  of  judging  than  your  own  testimony,  and  I 
know  that  testimony  accords  with  your  conscious- 
ness. From  it,  then,  I  think  you  do  believe.  You 
have  told  me  so  in  your  letter,  not  once,  but  many 


chap.  i.  HEALTH.  119 

time.  To  be  sure  you  attach  in  each  case  a  great 
many  drawbacks.  I  don't  deny  the  existence  of 
these.  I  am  willing  to  allow  them  to  the  full  extent 
of  which  you  complain.  What  then  %  They  do  not 
weaken  the  power  of  the  Saviour,  nor  do  they 
sever  the  link  (faith)  which  attaches  you  to  Him. 
.  .  .  .  All  your  complaints  are  just  so  many 
proofs  of  life.  Your  groans — groans  though  they 
be — are  invincible  proofs  of  life.  '  Many  groans 
from  a  sick-bed ;  none  from  a  grave.'  They  are 
painful,  but  oh,  how  much  better  than  the  listless 
indifference  of  a  mind  unsanctified — awful  indication 
that  the  life-giving  Spirit  has  ceased  His  strivings. 
Your  pains  prove  that  you  are  sick ;  well,  but  you 
are  in  the  hands  of  the  Great  Physician.  You  have 
placed  yourself  in  His  hands.  You  cannot  wish  to 
place  your  confidence  in  any  other.  You  will  be 
healed  in  God's  good  time.  You  do  not  distrust 
His  power?  do  not  distrust  His  willingness." 

His  own  health,  which  for  some  time  previous 
had  not  been  very  robust,  had  now  begun  to 
fail  more  evidently,  and  to  cause  him  considerable 
anxiety.  He  struggled  bravely  against  the  in- 
creasing weakness,  and  worked  on  without  any 
interruption  during  all  the  year  he  was  at  Larbert. 
Here,  as  everywhere,  he  won  for  himself  a  large 
share  of  respect  and  affection;  while  the  friend- 
ship then  begun  between  him  and  Mr.  Bonar  proved 
a  life-long  one. 


120  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.  chap.  t. 

The  pony  before  alluded  to  was  got,  and  proved 
a  source  of  both  health  and  pleasure  to  him.  In 
his  old  age  he  used  to  look  back  on  these  days,  and 
tell  his  children  how  he  rode  about  the  country 
on  his  own  pony,  which  he  described  as  a  capital 
animal,  with  only  one  fault,  namely,  a  great  ten- 
dency to  fall  and  precipitate  the  rider  also  on  the 
ground.  On  being  asked,  "  What  did  you  do  when 
that  happened  1 "  he  would  reply,  "  Oh,  I  just  got  up 
again."  On  his  last  visit  to  America,  at  a  large 
public  meeting  assembled  to  bid  him  and  others  fare- 
well, the  pony  was  introduced  in  such  a  way  that  it 
will  not  be  soon  forgotten  by  any  who  were  present. 
Saying  that  he  did  not  feel  inclined  to  speak  that 
night,  but  rather  just  to  look  them  in  the  face 
and  express  his  feelings  through  his  eyes,  he  told 
how,  on  his  return,  after  a  few  days'  absence  with 
his  pony,  to  his  lodgings  at  Larbert,  the  servant 
girl,  who,  as  he  expressed  it,  took  charge  both  of 
him  and  the  pony,  was  sent  to  the  stable  with  the 
latter.  She  remained  longer  than  he  thought 
necessary,  and  when  she  came  back  he  asked  her, 
"  Where  have  you  been,  Jenny  1  "  "  In  the  stable 
with  the  pony,  sir."  "And  what  were  you  doing 
all  this  timet"  "Oh,  sir,"  replied  the  girl,  "I  just 
lookit  at  hit,  and  hit  lookit  at  me." 

Altogether  the  year  spent  in  the  work  at  Larbert 
was  both  pleasant  and  profitable,  and  was  a  time 
which  he  always  liked  to  look  back  to. 


CHAPTER    II. 

~]\/FR.  ARNOT  had  been  hardly  a  year  at  Larbert 
when  he  received  a  call  to  St.  Peter's  Church, 
Glasgow.  The  choice  was  really  that  of  the  con- 
gregation, though  the  formal  election  was  made,  and 
the  presentation  issued,  by  the  Glasgow  Church 
Building  Society,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
Established  Church.  In  the  letter  announcing  the 
election,  Mr.  Collins,  secretary  to  the  Society,  says  : — 

"  I  beg  leave  most  sincerely  to  congratulate  you 
on  your  appointment ;  and  I  need  not  say  how 
gratifying  such  an  appointment  must  be  to  you, 
made  at  the  cordial  and  unanimous  request  of  the 
male  communicants  of  St.  Peter's  Church,  and 
afterwards  not  less  cordially  and  unanimously 
concurred  in  by  the  committee  on  candidates, 
the  directors  of  the  Society,  and  finally  by  the 
members  at  their  public  meeting." 

By  the  time  this  letter  reached  him,  he  had  already 
had  unofficial  notice  of  the  call,  and  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  accept  it ;  for  we  find  him  bidding  fare- 
well to  friends  at  Larbert,  and  making  arrange- 
ments for  removing  to  Glasgow. 

L21 


122  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT. 


To  his  Father. 

"  Larbert,  11th  October  1838. 

"My  dear  Father, — A  great  calamity  has 
befallen  me,  and  by  way  of  being  very  dutiful, 
I  shall  tell  you  all  about  it  the  first  thing  I 
do.  They  are  threatening  to  make  me  minister 
of  a  kirk  in  Glasgow.  Now,  mind,  I  could  not 
help  it.  I  know  you  wanted  me  to  wait  till  a 
country  parish  should  cast  up,  and  to  be  sure 
I  did  wait.  I  resisted  steadily  every  attempt  to 
make  me  a  candidate,  until  about  three  weeks  ago 
the  thing  was  put  in  such  a  way  that  I  could  no 
longer  find  an  excuse.  Even  Mr.  Bonar,  who  had 
always  helped  me  out  before,  gave  up,  and  said  I 
must  go.  Well,  with  a  sad  heart  I  went,  Sabbath 
eight  days,  and  the  consequence  is  I  have  been 
elected  by  the  congregation  unanimously.  .  .  . 
I  do  not  consider  myself  bound  to  go,  but  I  confess 
at  present  I  see  no  way  of  getting  out.  Had  there 
been  a  number  of  the  people  for  some  other  body,  I 
might  have  made  that  an  excuse  for  declining ;  but 
a  unanimous  call  from  a  large  congregation,  in  the 
widest  scene  of  usefulness  which  the  Church  affords, 
cannot,  I  think,  be  rejected  with  any  regard  to  char- 
acter or  duty. 

"  There  are  two  possible  ways  of  escaping — first, 
if,  in  the  meantime,  some  country  parish  should  be 
offered  me — that  is,  one  in  which  there  would  be 


chap.  n.  .ST.  PETER'S.  123 

something  to  do  ;  but  such  a  one,  for  example,  as 
Aberdalgie,  I  think  I  would  not  be  justified  in  taking. 
But  there  is  no  probability  that  this  will  happen. 

"  Secondly,  if  the  state  of  my  health  be  found  to 
be  such  that  a  town  residence  and  much  confinement 
would  be  dangerous.  I  am  pretty  well  at  present, 
but  I  have  for  a  good  while  past  had  some  misgiv- 
ings regarding  the  state  of  my  heart,  from  certain 
beatings  that  take  place  now  and  then.  I  intend  to 
go  to  Glasgow  next  week  to  get  the  opinion  of  an 
eminent  physician,  and  set  the  matter  at  rest.  If 
none  of  these  two  causes  intervene,  I  must  submit ; 
and,  I  am  happy  to  say,  I  shall  submit  very  will- 
ingly. 

"  The  church — by  name  St.  Peter's — was  built  by 
the  Church  Building  Society  of  Glasgow.  It  has 
had  an  able  minister  for  two  years,  and  a  full  con- 
gregation. The  minister,  Mr.  Dun,  has  gone  to  a 
country  parish  near  Dumbarton.  It  is  in  the  city, 
between  Argyle  Street  and  Broomielaw. 

"  Now,  about  waiting  for  a  country  parish — that's 
all  very  good ;  but  you  do  not  know  how  difficult  a 
thing  it  is  to  wait  in  the  present  wants  of  the  Church. 
I  cannot  tell  how  many  invitations  to  preach  as  a 
candidate  I  have  resisted.  The  thing  was  becoming 
very  uncomfortable.  Just  this  very  week  already  I 
have  declined  two  invitations — one  from  Haddington, 
another  from  Bannockburn.  All  these  applications 
have  been  from  unendowed  churches.  The  endowed 
churches  are  generally  in  the  hands  of  patrons.    The 


124  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  ii. 

patrons   don't  apply  to   me,   and,   without  meaning 
anything  offensive,  I  don't  intend  to  apply  to  them. 

"  From  the  whole  I  deduce  this  conclusion,  that 
you  must  not  think  anything  about  the  want  of  the 
manse,  and  the  glebe,  and  the  cow,  and  all  that  sort 
of  thing.  Never  any  living  creature  has  had  more 
encouragement  to  cast  himself  on  the  care  of  Provi- 
dence than  I :  everything  all  my  life  has  turned  out 
fortunate  ;  all  has  been  success  without  any  care  of 
mine,  so  there  is  no  cause  for  complaint,  although 
you  should  look  no  further  than  my  comfort  in  this 
world.  But  you  will  not  confine  your  view  to  that 
— you  will  remember  that  we  are  very  near — very 
near  you  must  be,  very  near  /  may  be — to  the  judg- 
ment-seat of  God ;  and  in  that  view,  what  signifies 
a  comfortable  manse  and  glebe  for  a  few  years,  if  I 
should  forfeit  the  character  of  a  '  faithful  servant '  1 
I  will  be  made  abundantly  comfortable;  with  a 
stipend  probably  as  good  as  some  country  minis- 
ters ;  the  society  of  Glasgow,  which  is  to  me  a  great 
matter ;  and  lastly,  as  to  the  honour  of  the  thing,  it 
could  not  well  be  greater,  if  you  take  all  the  circum- 
stances together.  But  I  suppose  this  is  an  unneces- 
sary mustering  of  arguments,  for  you  would  be 
brawly  pleased  without  them." 

To  Mr.  Mackail. 

"  Larbert,  25th  Oct.  1838. 
" .    .        .   Here   is  another  thing.     I   have,   after 
mature  consideration  of  the  premises,  finally  made 


chap.  n.       PREPARATIONS  FOR  REMOVAL.  125 

up  my  mind  that  it  is  not  my  duty  to  pay  20s.  per 
week  for  lodgings,  and  determined  to  put  up  with 
something  that  can  be  got  for  15s.  I  make  it  a 
matter  of  conscience.  Suppose  I  get  stowed  away 
for  15s.  instead  of  20s.,  then  I  might  have  a  valuable 
volume  coming  in  every  week  into  my  poor  library, 
and  live  all  the  time  as  comfortably  as  my  neigh- 
bours. I  must  depend  for  my  respectability  on 
something  else  than  a  grand  dining-room.  Infer- 
ence— Take  notes  for  my  benefit  of  anything  that 

you  may  see  or  hear  of  in  the  above  line 

"  I  am  busy  taking  leave  of  all  my  friends  here. 
You  would  wonder  how  we  have  become  so  well 
acquainted  in  one  year.  I  could  make  many  a  story 
out  of  it,  but  it  is  all  too  sad  and  sacred  a  thing 
for  that ;  so  let  it  rest.  I  have  yet  to  meet  the 
Dunipace  congregation.  It  is  a  worse  thing  than 
to  preach  as  a  candidate.     I  wish  it  were  over." 


To  his  Father. 

"  Larbert,  1st  December  1838. 

"My  dear  Father, — The  call  was  on  Tuesday, 
and  no  veto.  William  Campbell  was  at  church  both 
days,  and,  I  am  told,  his  name  is  at  the  call ;  whether 
he  will  continue  I  cannot  tell.  Collins,  too,  was 
there  on  the  afternoon  of  both  days,  with  sundry 
others  of  the  great  of  Glasgow,  whom  you  do  not 
know.  There  is  a  tendency,  you  know,  in  that  sort 
of  thing  to  make  one  proud,  and,  accordingly,  I  am 


126  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  n. 

trying  to  watch ;  but  as  yet  I  do  not  feel  the  danger 
to  be  very  great.  One  glance  at  the  dark  places  of 
my  own  heart,  which  the  world  knows  nothing  of, 
is  enough,  or  should  be  enough,  to  quench  any  self- 
complacent  aspirings  that  may  be  excited  by  the 
kind  attentions  of  my  friends." 

He  began  his  ministry  in  St.  Peter's  on  the  first 
Sabbath  of  January  1839,  but  before  many  weeks 
had  passed,  his  health,  already  much  enfeebled, 
broke  down  completely  under  the  new  strain.  A 
severe  illness  ensued,  which  disabled  him  entirely 
for  work  during  a  period  of  about  three  months. 

To  his  Father. 

"  Glasgow,  17th  January  1839. 

"  My  dear  Father, — I  hope  you  have  seen  Mary 
by  this  time,  and  got  the  news.  She  would  tell  you 
that  in  the  meantime  the  people  are  brawly  pleased 
with  me,  and  that  there  was  a  very  large  congrega- 
tion. What  she  said  of  my  sermon  I  cannot  tell; 
but  I  am  sure  she  said  Mr.  Bonar's  was  a  good 
one.  I  got  over  the  last  Sabbath  quite  easily.  The 
church  was  nearly  as  full  as  on  the  previous  day ;  it 
was  full  altogether,  but  nobody  standing.  I  have 
begun  my  ordinary  work — have  visited  some  of  the 
parish  and  some  of  the  congregation.  Nothing 
could  exceed  the  kind  welcome  I  receive  in  all 
quarters.      This  evening   I  commence  a  class,  and 


chap.  n.  NEW  EXPERIENCES.  127 

another  to-morrow.     I  shall  tell  you  how  they  get 

on  afterwards I  am  very  sorry  you  were 

not  here.  If  you  had  been  at  the  Presbytery  dinner, 
and  heard  all  that  was  said,  you  would  have  gone 
home  convinced  that  I  was  the  most  important  man 
in  Glasgow.  But,  setting  the  joke  aside,  it  must 
have  been  gratifying  to  you  to  have  heard  the  kind 
way  in  which  I  was  received  by  the  Presbytery  and 
the  other  gentlemen  present.  Good  old  Dr.  Brown, 
of  St.  John's,  was  '  greetin' '  the  time  of  my  speech, 
not  from  anything  in  it,  but  just  from  his  kind  re- 
gard for  me." 

"  Glasgow,  22d  January  1839. 

"I  have  just  sat  down  after  dismissing  a  queer 
couple  who  came  to  be  spliced.  The  bride  seemed 
to  be  greatly  rejoiced.  She  made  a  neat  curtsey, 
smiled  sweetly,  and  said,  '  Thank  you,  sir ;  I  am  very 
much  obliged  to  you.'  The  man  spak  naething.  It  was 
the  first  opportunity  I  have  had  of  making  a  couple 
happy.  You  country  people  would  have  thought  it 
an  odd  marriage.  The  bride  had  a  dark  printed 
gown  and  shawl,  and  a  wee  straw  hat  on.  I  was 
warned  of  it  yesterday,  but  did  not  know  how  to 
do.  I  ran  up  this  forenoon  to  Mr.  Somerville,  one 
of  my  neighbours,  to  get  a  lesson.  He  was  not  at 
home,  but  his  landlady,  a  nice  old  maiden  lady,  gave 
me  the  instructions  better  than  he  could  have  done. 
She  made  Somerville's  sister  and  me  stand  up  before 
her,  put  the  questions  to  us,  and  went  through  the 
whole  thing  in  the  best  style." 


128  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT  chap.  n. 

To  his  Sister. 

"  Glasgow,  February  1839. 

"My  dear  Mart, — I  write  to  tell  you  of  a  little 
illness  that  I  have  had,  lest  you  should  hear  of  it 
from  another  quarter,  and  think  it  worse  than  it 
is.  It  would  have  been  a  very  small  matter  indeed ; 
but  unfortunately,  it  happened  on  Sabbath  (yester- 
day) when  I  was  preaching,  and  that  let  a  great 
many  people  know  about  it.  At  the  end  of  last 
week  I  had  a  bilious  attack.  It  did  not  come  to  a 
height  till  Friday  night.  On  Sabbath  morning  I 
was  pretty  well,  but  weak.  Got  over  the  forenoon 
well  enough,  and  had  begun  the  afternoon  sermon 
about  ten  minutes,  when  I  felt  a  pain  in  my  breast — 
just  a  stitch  towards  the  right.  I  felt  no  incon- 
venience otherwise,  no  tendency  to  sickness,  but 
just  the  pain  checked  the  breath  so  that  I  could  not 
speak  loud  enough.  I  stopped  immediately,  and  told 
the  people  what  was  wrong.  Waited  a  few  minutes, 
found  it  not  any  better.  There  were  several 
preachers  in  the  church.  One  of  them  sent  up  a 
message  that  he  would  take  my  place.  I  at  once 
agreed ;  told  the  people  that  I  was  in  all  other 
respects  quite  well,  but  thought  it  prudent  not  to 
go  on  against  the  pain.  Oh,  the  people  looked  so 
kind.  The  church  was  full.  Glad  that  I  stopped ; 
for  the  pain  afterwards  grew  worse.  Got  a  surgeon 
just  at  the  door,  and  a  noddy.  Got  home  in  a  few 
minutes;  was  bled,  and  went  to  bed.  Pain  greatly 
eased  by  bleeding.      At  eight  o'clock  some  pain  still, 


chap.  n.     ,  ILLNESS.  129 

and  a  mustard  blister  applied,  which  did  good.  Pain 
continued  all  night,  but  much  reduced.  This  morn- 
ing I  lie  perfectly  at  ease,  but  pain  returns  when 
I  move  to  certain  positions.  The  doctor  was  here 
just  now,  and  advised  a  fly  blister,  which  is  just 
about  to  be  applied.  Now,  observe,  that  all  this  is 
just  a  stitch,  that  it  is  not  inflammation.  At  this 
moment  I  am  as  free  of  sickness  and  as  hale  at 
heart  as  ever  I  was,  and  the  pain  so  feeble  that  I 
can  scarcely  tell  it  is  here.  Now,  it  will  be  very 
wicked  in  you  to  get  alarmed  at  the  long  history  I 
have  given  you.  I  am  keeping  my  bed  in  order  to 
get  the  easiest  position,  but  I  could  sit  up  quite  well. 
Now,  Mary,  instead  of  being  at  all  afraid  at  the  mere 
fact  of  it  happening  in  public,  I  hope  you  will  rather 
be  thankful  that  it  is  so  very  slight,  and  so  soon  re- 
moved. I  have  no  room  to  give  you  a  history  of  the 
kindness  of  the  people.  John  Mackail  stayed  with 
me  all  night,  and  stays  still,  keeping  the  callers  in 
the  other  room,  although  I  am  able  enough  to  chat  to 
them.  I  am  kept  as  happy  as  if  I  had  been  at  home. 
Mrs.  Wight  does  everything  in  the  very  kindest  way, 
and  I  can  use  all  sorts  of  freedom  with  her.  I  need 
not  say  that  I  intend  this  fur  the  information  of 
father  and  all  the  family  as  well  as  yourself.  Per- 
haps if  you  are  able,  you  might  go  out  and  help 
them  to  read  it,  as  it  is  not  very  plain,  on  account 
of  my  position  and  my  bandaged  arm. 

"  And  now,  just  one  counsel.     Do  not  let  any  of 
your   happiness   depend  on   my   life :   or  anybody's 
I 


130  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  n. 

life.  This  attack  has  passed  without  any  danger ; 
but  it  should  serve  us  all  as  a  warning  that  the 
next  may  not.  Let  God  reconciled  in  Christ  Jesus 
be  our  portion,  and  then  everything  will  be  on 
our  side — sickness  and  death  among  the  rest. 
Lastly,  I  do  not  intend  to  write  again  for  about 
a  week.  If  I  am  long  in  writing,  just  understand 
that  all  is  well." 

"  Glasgow,  Id  March  1839. 

"  My  dear  Friends  all, — This  is  just  a  note  to 
say  that  I  am  steadily  keeping  better.  I  am  out 
of  bed  now  all  day  from  ten  to  ten.  I  am  meet- 
ing with  the  young  communicants  this  week,  which 
gives  me  a  great  deal  to  do.  I  have  very  little 
pain  now  and  my  strength  is  gradually  returning. 
I  have  given  up  all  thoughts  of  preaching  on 
Sabbath  at  the  Sacrament.  This  keeps  me  quite 
at  ease.  The  people  would  not  hear  of  me  trying 
it.  I  have  a  great  many  little  things  to  manage, 
so  you  must  not  expect  to  hear  again  till  fully  a 
week  after  this.  If  1  am  long  in  writing,  that  just 
means  that  I  am  keeping  better." 

His  illness  at  this  time  was  of  a  very  alarming 
nature — a  serious  affection  of  the  lungs.  The  disease 
was,  however,  quickly  and  effectively  checked,  so 
that  no  further  symptoms  of  it  appeared  for  upwards 
of  thirty-five  years.  After  lying  dormant  all  that 
time,  it  was  once  more  roused  into  activity,  and 
was  the  immediate  cause  of  his  death. 


RESUMES  WORK.  131 


To  Mr.  Mackail. 

"  Glasgow,  20th  May  1839. 

"  I  must  have  a  hard  heart  if  I  do  not  sing  of 
mercy  now.  What  do  you  think  %  I  preached 
yesterday  forenoon  in  St.  Peter's ;  and  am  to-day 
quite  lively  and  well.  I  am  the  more  overjoyed  at 
the  result,  because  it  has  taken  me  by  surprise.  I 
had  scarcely  any  hope  of  going  through,  although 
I  felt  it  necessary  to  try 

"  When  I  began  the  prayer,  and  found  I  could 
speak,  I  felt  an  unwonted  joy.  I  was  able  with 
something  of  better  faith  than  is  usual  with  me 
to  receive  it  as  an  answer  to  prayer.  The  people 
looked  very  kind  as  usual.  Dr.  Henderson  preached 
in  the  afternoon — grand  sermon." 

To  his  Father. 

"Glasgow,  \Zt\  April  1840. 

My  dear  Father, — 

" .  .  .  .  Again  I  have  got  through  the  cares  of 
the  Sacrament  without  any  harm  to  myself;  better 
at  this  moment  than  I  have  been  for  two  months 
past.  We  have  been  very  happy.  Everything 
went  on  well. 

"  One  part  of  the  history  of  it  is,  the  ordination  of 
six  new  elders  on  the  Fast  Day  :  we  have  ten  now. 

"  Another,  the  most  important  part  of  the  whole, 
is  the  admission  of  thirty  young  persons,  or  rather 
twenty-nine  young  persons,  and  one  old  man  who 


132  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.         chap.  ii. 

had  not  been  a  communicant  for  thirty  years.  I  for- 
get if  I  told  you  that  some  are  very  young ;  two 
boys,  both  little  of  stature,  with  jackets,  between  fif- 
teen and  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  one  girl  about 
fourteen.  I  have  had  a  very  great  deal  of  work 
with  them  these  three  weeks  past ;  but  have  got 
more  of  comfort  and  encouragement  than  ever  I 
had  here  before. 

"  The  congregation  kept  very  good  all  the  time, 
and  the  ministers  all  preached  very  well.  We  were 
all  very  happy." 

To  his  Father. 

"  Glasgow,  IZth  September  1841. 

"My  dear  Father, — 

" .  .  .  .  I  saw  Mr.  Drummond  and  Mr.  Stewart 
in  Edinburgh.  Mr.  Drummond  would  tell  you  what 
a  fine  meeting  we  had.  It  made  us  all  very  happy. 
I  am  quite  happy  now  about  the  church,  just  because 
I  know  it  will  be  well  whatever  way  it  goes.  The 
question  cannot  be  settled  wrovg.  The  Lord  reigneth, 
and  therein  we  will  be  glad.  Whatever  way  it  go, 
it  will  do  good.  If  we  get  a  good  law,  and  be  all 
left  free,  then  we  will  go  on  thankfully  and  cheer- 
fully in  our  work.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  we  be  all 
scattered,  we  will  just  be  cast  more  on  the  hand 
of  God ;  we  will  feel  more  our  dependence,  and  be 
sure  to  be  blessed  more  than  ever  we  were." 

Though  able  for  his  duties  again,  a  degree  of 
delicacy  lingered  for  some  time,  rendering  great  care 


chap.  ii.  CONGREGATIONAL  TIES.  133 

necessary.  The  change  from  living  in  lodgings  to  a 
house  of  his  own  increased  his  comfort  greatly,  and 
no  doubt  benefited  his  health.  His  sister  Mary 
came  to  live  with  him,  and,  until  his  marriage  in 
1844,  proved  a  most  efficient  housekeeper  and 
fellow-labourer.  From  this  time  his  health  slowly 
and  steadily  improved ;  and  till  within  a  few  years 
of  his  death,  he  seemed  to  grow  stronger  as  he 
grew  older. 

He  soon  gathered  around  him  in  St.  Peter's  a  large 
and  warmly -attached  congregation.  His  preaching 
had,  from  the  first,  a  peculiar  attraction  for  young 
men,  who,  both  in  Glasgow  and  afterwards  in  Edin- 
burgh, formed  an  important  element  in  his  congre- 
gation. Some  of  these,  coming  from  the  country  to 
settle  in  Glasgow,  connected  themselves  at  once 
with  his  congregation  ;  and,  filling  successively  the 
offices  of  Sabbath-school  teacher,  deacon,  and  elder, 
remained  for  twenty  years  and  upwards  under  his 
ministry.  Ties  like  these  are  strong  and  tender,  not 
easily  severed  by  time  and  distance,  or  replaced  by 
new  ones.  And  many,  in  all  parts  of  the  country, 
when  they  heard  of  the  sudden  departure  of  him 
who  had  ceased  to  be  their  pastor  years  before, 
mourned  for  him  as  for  a  father. 

The  following  is  but  a  specimen  out  of  many 
similar  letters  received  by  his  widow  in  the  first 
weeks  after  his  departure. 

"  I  had  the  unspeakable  benefit  of  Mr.  Arnot's 
wise  and  loving  teaching  as  a  member  of  his  Bible 


134  MEMOIR  OF  REV.  W.  ARNOT.         chap.  n. 

class ;  and  I  have  ever  felt  grateful  that  I  had  such 
a  minister  and  guide  in  my  youth,  as  well  as  in  my 
maturer  years.  I  have  ever  cherished  toward  him 
the  love  and  reverence  due  to  a  dear  friend  and 
father;  and  his  death  came  upon  me  with  all  the 
intensity  of  a  deep  and  severe  personal  bereave- 
ment. His  has  been  a  life  for  which  I,  and  many 
others  whose  numbers  only  the  day  will  declare, 
have  reason  to  thank  God." 

To  his  Father. 

"Glasgow,  28<A.  December  1841. 

" .  .  .  .  My  work  is  going  on.  I  send  you  a 
copy  of  a  report  drawn  up  by  one  of  my  elders  I 
shall  send  two  copies  :  give  one  to  Mr.  Drummond. 
I  was  visiting  all  day  in  the  parish  with  one  of  the 
elders.  I  have  a  text  which  serves  me  for  the  after- 
noon of  the  last  Sabbath  of  every  year — Isaiah  xxi. 
11,  "Watchman,  what  of  the  night?"  I  just  give 
an  account  of  what  we  have  done,  and  what  state 
we  are  in.  In  one  part  of  it,  in  telling  of  those  who 
have  departed,  I  put  in  Mr.  Williamson.  You  remem- 
ber he  was  at  the  boat.  He  was  a  member  of  our 
church.  He  had  been  ill  for  five  weeks,  and  died  in 
great  peace  on  Saturday  night.  I  was  told  of  it  on 
my  way  to  the  church.  I  told  the  people  about  it  in 
the  sermon,  I  hope  for  their  profit." 

Many  of  his  old  hearers  will  remember  the  New 
Year's  text  and  the  sermons  preached  from  it  year 
after  year. 


chap.  ii.  SELF  EXAMINA  TION.  135 

The  church  became  crowded,  and  the  hearers 
eagerly  drank  in  the  Word  as  it  fell  from  his  lips, 
feeling  their  souls  refreshed  and  strengthened  by  it ; 
but  the  preacher  himself  was  far  from  satisfied  with 
his  work.  His  private  journal,  as  well  as  many 
letters  written  about  this  time,  show  how  strictly  he 
scrutinised  his  work  with  all  its  springs  and  motives, 
how  sternly  he  judged,  and  how  unsparingly  he  con- 
demned, when  himself  was  the  prisoner  at  the  bar ; 
though  in  judging  others  his  tendency  always  was 
to  the  side  of  leniency  and  forbearance.  This  was 
characteristic  of  him  even  in  his  student  days,  when, 
looked  up  to  and  respected  as  he  Avas  by  his  com- 
panions, he  "had  perhaps  peculiar  temptations  to 
censoriousness  and  severity  towards  others.  We 
find  a  fellow-student  who  had  applied  to  him  for 
advice  and  help  writing  thus : — "  Do  not  treat  me 
too  tenderly  as  to  my  doubt.  That  is  your  extreme. 
Try  to  be  quite  faithful."  And  we  do  not  hesi- 
tate to  say  that  herein  lay  one  great  secret  of  his 
success  as  a  minister.  The  brotherly  love  and  for- 
bearance, the  charity  that  thinketh  no  evil,  that 
hopeth  all  things,  beareth  all  things,  believeth  all 
things,  so  widely  exercised  towards  others,  in 
combination  with  an  uncompromising  sternness 
towards  himself,  was  a  mighty  power  to  make  his 
ministry  attractive  and  useful,  and  to  keep  his  own 
life,  both  temporal  and  spiritual,  in  strict  accordance 
with  it.  The  following  extracts  are  from  his 
journal : — 


136  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  n. 

"12th  May  1841. 

"  Since  last  date  my  dear  friend  Mr.  Halley  has 
been  called  to  his  account.  The  perusal  of  his  diary 
has  revived  my  desire  to  keep  a  similar  record.  I 
hope  to  profit  more  by  his  papers  in  reading  them, 
preparatory  to  publication. 

"  Several  well-defined  instances  have  occurred  of  a 

blessing  attending  my  ministry.     This  is  wonderful. 

I  should  keep  a  record  of  them  to  the  praise  of  the 

glory  of  His  grace." 

"lith  December  1841. 

"  Have  just  finished  the  preparation  of  Memoir  of 
Mr.  Halley,  and  expect  it  to  be  published  in  a  week. 
Have  derived  much  instruction  from  it  But  fear 
another  evil.  It  appears  that  with  it,  as  with  my 
own  ministerial  employment,  I  get  hardened  by 
familiarity.  I  read  in  almost  every  page  a  clear 
rebuke  of  my  own  besetting  sins,  and  yet  my  desires 
for  deliverance  are  very  transient.  My  sin  of  indol- 
ence is  very  great,  yet  I  never  can  feel  it  to  be 
sinful  as  he  did. 

"  Have  of  late  been  alarmed  by  finding  that 
spiritually-minded,  experienced  Christians  come  to 
hear  me  preach.  It  seems  evident  that  I  must  be 
speaking  what  I  know  not.  Oh,  that  my  preaching 
and  my  experience  were  brought  into  unison !  Lord 
unite  them,  not  by  bringing  down  the  preaching,  but 
by  bringing  up  the  experience." 

The  following  is  from  a  letter  to  his  college 
friend,  Mr.  Mackail : — 


chap.  n.  FULL  CHURCH.  137 

"  I  forgot  to  say  that  the  church  has  of  late  been 
very  full.  I  cannot  well  tell  why  It  is  quite  a 
crowd.  Last  Sabbath  afternoon  it  was  so  oppres- 
sively hot,  that  I  think  at  three  different  times 
persons  were  taken  out  sick.  There  is  something 
rather  remarkable  in  this,  seeing  there  is  neither 
anything  of  what  is  called  revival  excitement 
among  the  people,  nor  anything  in  any  way  re- 
markable in  the  preaching.  I  mean  to  say  where 
all  is  so  common-place — just  staid,  sober,  ordinary 
preaching,  and  staid,  sober,  ordinary,  unexcited 
people — and  yet  such  a  multitude,  is  something 
remarkable.  Meanwhile,  when  I  try  to  look  for 
snares,  I  cannot  say  that  I  see  so  many  (but  the 
Lord  knows  that  the  heart  is  deceitful)  on  the 
side  of  being  lifted  up,  as  on  the  side  of  being  too 
cool — not  alive  to  the  importance  of  the  place  the 
Lord  has  put  me  in,  and  the  shortness  of  the  times. 
Do  you  care  for  hearing  about  my  matters  %  Surely 
you  do,  for  they  concern  the  King." 

The  following  may  be  given  in  contrast  to  the 
complaints  of  indolence  as  a  besetting  sin — not  to 
disprove  its  existence,  but  to  show  how  an  earnest 
man,  by  the  grace  of  God,  can  resist  and  conquer 
such  a  foe. 

To  Mr.  Mackail. 

"  10th  March  1842. 

"  My  dear  John, — As   I   find   I   could   not  sleep 


138  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  ir. 

just  yet,  here  goes  a  note  to  you.  I  shall  jot  a 
history,  which  will  let  you  see  that  I  have  great 
might  in  the  outer  man  at  least. 

"  Sabbath. — My  twice  preaching ;  my  youth's  class 
at  5^  ;  the  teachers'  prayer-meeting  at  7. 

"  Monday. — Some  walks  and  visits  ;  and  evening 
attending  Dunlop's  lecture,  and  then  a  speech  at 
a  congregational  meeting  in  Albion  Street  at 
10  o'clock.     (An  easy  day.) 

"  Tuesday. — Good  deal  of  study  during  the  day, 
and  feverish  anxiety.  At  12  o'clock,  a  meeting  of 
ladies,  and  a  sort  of  ordination  (at  which  Dr.  Willis 
presided,  and  I  assisted)  of  a  female  missionary  to 
Cain-aria.  Then,  in  the  evening,  a  lecture  (a  weekly 
course  at  the  prayer-meeting)  on  the  condition  of 
the  Jews  at  the  comencement  of  their  captivity, 
founded  on  Daniel,  the  first  two  chapters :  required 
a  good  deal  of  study ;  more  than  my  Sabbath 
lectures  need. 

"  Wednesday. — Study  in  the  morning.  Started  at 
10^  for  Ayr  (Stevenson's  Fast  Day) ;  preached 
in  the  afternoon,  and  addressed  a  meeting  (fam- 
ous one,  church  full  up  to  the  corners  of  the 
galleries)  for  missionary  matters  in  the  evening. 
Had  it  all  to  do;  was  more  than  an  hour  of 
hard  speaking. 

"  Thursday. — Morning,  up  at  7;  breakfast;  jumped 
into  the  train  at  8 ;  home  at  10£ ;  wrote  half  of  an 
address  to  ministers,  and  down  to  St.  George's  at 
12 ;   preached   (text   Luke.  i.  16)   and  presided    at 


chap.  n.  A  DA  VS  WORK.  139 

ordination  of  a  Mr.  Brown  to  a  church  in  Antigua ; 
large  meeting  of  presbytery,  and  good  audience. 
Came  home  and  groaned  awhile ;  went  out  and 
walked  to  cool  my  temples ;  down  to  meet  my 
maiden  class  at  6^ ;  taught  very  happily ;  lesson 
John  hi. ;  then  got  10  minutes'  stretch  on  a  form, 
with  a  three-legged  stool  for  a  pillow,  and  then 
assembled  the  teachers  and  weans,  and  I  acted 
dominus  dominorum  till  10  minutes  past  9.  Home; 
got  parritch,  and  at  this  moment  am  sitting  writing 
with  my  two  feet  most  happily  plunged  into  a  large 
tub  of  warm  water ;  and  all  well.  Why  do  this  % 
It  would  not  have  been  right,  but  the  appointment 
for  the  ordination  was  suddenly  made  a  week  ago 
in  my  absence.  I  wrote  to  Stevenson  to  relieve 
me  from  the  evening  engagement,  but  he  held 
the  grip. 

"In  almost  all  the  work  I  have  been  happy; 
never,  I  think,  more  so  ;  most  of  all  in  the  ordina- 
tion prayer.  Remarkable  that  I  was  sensibly  less 
embarrassed  by  the  presence  of  men  than  in  the 
most  ordinary  prayers  of  the  Sabbath ;  was  almost 
unconscious  of  their  presence.  I  have  much  to  fear 
on  the  side  of  slipping  into  a  callous  orthodoxy 
evangelism,  and  hardening  in  a  form  of  words ; 
and  yet  I  have  much  cause  for  thankfulness.  Oh, 
let  my  soul  live,  and  it  shall  praise  Thee.  (These 
words,  in  their  literal  sense,  have  been  much  on 
my  mind  of  late.) 

"  Mary   has   been  away   for  nearly  three   weeks. 


140  MEMOIR  OF  REV.  W.  ARNOT.         chap.  ti. 

My  father  was  ill—  seriously  ill — dropsical ;  but  it 
appears  that  he  is  quite  restored.  I  expect  her 
back  in  about  a  week." 

Shortly  after  this  his  father  died,  somewhat  suddenly. 
His  stepmother  went  to  live  among  her  own  friends 
in  Fife,  and  the  home  at  the  Boat  was  broken  up. 
Of  his  three  sisters,  one,  the  youngest,  was  married ; 
the  eldest  taught  a  school  at  Madderty,  in  Perth- 
shire ;  and  the  other  was  with  him  in  Glasgow.  But 
his  heart  still  clung  with  much  affection  to  the  spot 
which  he  had  so  long  called  home.  He  was  never  in 
the  neighbourhood  without  going  to  see  the  old 
house,  to  wander  through  the  little  garden,  and  cross 
the  river  in  the  boat.  And  as  his  children  grew  up, 
he  took  them  often  there,  and  taught  them  all  to 
know  the  place  and  love  it  too. 

His  sister  Mary  was  at  this  time  his  fellow-worker, 
as  well  as  his  housekeeper.  Here  is  a  note  of  some 
of  her  labours. 

"...  Mary  is  groaning  very  ill  beside  me — a 
sudden  sore  cold.  She  has  almost  propria  motu 
established  a  female  school  of  industry  in  Broomielaw. 
It  was  begun  on  Monday  under  very  favourable  aus- 
pices ;  but  she  has  fallen  in  the  victory.  Man,  I  took 
advantage  yesterday  of  the  school-room  to  meet  at 
eight  in  the  evening  the  families  of  a  neighbouring 
district  that  I  had  visited  during  the  day.  A  de- 
lightful meeting,  and  I  precented  twice — gave  Coles- 


chap.  ii.  SABBATH  SCHOOL  TEACHERS'  CLASS.   141 

hill  and  French.  The  people  sang  grandly  ;  it  was 
quite  exquisite.  It  was  my  first  time,  except  per- 
haps about  nine  or  ten  times  in  our  own  family  when 
none  are  present  but  Mary  and  Helen. 

"  Our  Sabbath-school  meeting  thrives  amazingly. 
A  great  improvement  has  taken  place.  If  you  look 
in  upon  the  school  now,  you  see  at  once  an  improve- 
ment on  the  address  of  the  teachers." 

The  Sabbath-school  meeting  here  alluded  to  was 
a  weekly  one,  in  which  he  went  over  with  the 
teachers  the  lesson  for  the  following  Sabbath.  It 
was  continued  for  some  years  at  this  time,  and  was 
resumed  at  intervals  at  other  periods  of  his  ministry 
both  in  Glasgow  and  Edinburgh.  It  was  a  depart- 
ment of  work  which  he  took  kindly  to,  and  his  in- 
structions on  these  occasions  were  highly  valued  by 
those  who  listened  to  them. 

By  this  time  he  had  begun  to  take  his  share  in 
more  public  work,  a  share  which  went  on  increasing 
till  it  was  like  to  overwhelm  him ;  and  it  became,  as 
he  tells  us,  no  small  item  in  his  work  writing  letters 
to  say  that  he  could  not  work.  The  following  letter 
is  written  on  the  blank  leaf  of  the  prospectus  of  "  A 
Course  of  Lectures  on  the  Physical,  Educational,  and 
Moral  Improvement  of  the  People,  especially  of  the 
Great  Towns."  The  third  lecture  in  the  course  is 
announced  to  be  by  the  Rev.  William  Arnot,  Glas- 
gow, on  "Intellectual,  Moral,  and  Social  Degrada- 
tion ": — 


142  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chm>.  ii. 


To  Mr.  Mackail. 

"  My  DEAR  John, — I  write  on  this  sheet  for  a 
double  purpose,  which  your  ingenuity  will  detect. 
The  impudence  of  my  being  here  is  not  mine. 
I  just  do  what  I  am  bidden,  but  I  must  stop 
soon.  I  shall  certainly  be  overwhelmed.  We 
have  a  great  philanthropic  and  religious  society, 
out  of  which  these  lectures  and  many  other  things 
have  already  originated,  and  they  really  have 
given  me  my  own  share  of  work  since  we  be- 
gan. The  meetings  are  capital :  we  drink  coffee 
and  then  chat.  Something  like  twenty-fiye  of  the 
Mite  of  the  laity  in  Glasgow  and  six  or  ten  ministers 
constitute  a  meeting.     .     .     . 

"  Of  my  lecture  I  have  not  a  fact,  or  word,  or 
thought,  and  will  not  for  a  long  time.  Could  you 
give  me  any  statistics,  or  any  striking  isolated  facts. 
Man,  it  would  be  interesting  to  give  some  facts  from 
Gretna." 

The  ten  years'  conflict  was  now  approaching  its 
crisis.  Mr.  Arnot,  then  a  young  minister  fully  occu- 
pied with  the  laborious  work  of  a  city  charge,  took 
no  prominent  part  in  the  proceedings  which  led  to 
the  Disruption.  No  detailed  account  of  these,  or 
even  of  the  Disruption  itself,  is  necessary  here.  That 
period  of  the  Church's  history  has  been  chronicled  so 
frequently,  and  from  so  many  different  view-points, 
that  we  may  assume  on  the  part  of  our  readers  such 


chap.  ii.    SOLEMN  LEAGUE  AND  COVENANT.        143 

a  general  acquaintance  with  the  facts  of  the  case, 
and  the  principles  involved,  as  will  enable  them  to 
understand  the  allusions  in  the  extracts  which 
follow.  These  will  show  the  keen  and  sympathetic 
interest  which  he  took  in  the  great  events  that  were 
passing,  and  how  decidedly  and  heartily  he  threw  in 
his  lot  with  those  who  left  the  Establishment  in 
1843. 

To  Mr.  Mackail. 

"Forgan  Boat,  August  9th,  1840. 
"  .  .  .  .  I  intended  all  along  to  come  down  to 
Dundee  on  Monday,  and  round  to  Edinburgh  on 
Tuesday,  but  found  out  yesterday  that  the  "  Solemn 
League  and  Covenant "  is  to  be  adopted  on  Tuesday 
at  twelve  o'clock,  and  I  cannot  be  absent. 

To  the  Same. 

"  Edinburgh,  12th  August  1840. 

"My  dear  John, — 

"  .  .  .  .  Grand  covenant  yesterday,  enthusiastic 
anti-patronage.  We  are  right — and  shall  be  suc- 
cessful in  God's  good  time.  Solemn  league  ! — Man, 
I  wish  you  had  seen  it — 159  (75  ministers,  rest 
elders)  crowded  their  names  on  the  spot  into 
one  parchment." 

The  following  is  an  account  ot  his  work  within 
the  bounds  of  the  famous  Presbytery  of  Strathbogie, 
where  he   was   sent   along   with   others   to   preach 


144  MEMOIR  OF  REV.  W.  ARNOT.         chap.  n. 

and  dispense  ordinances  in  defiance  of  the  pro- 
hibition of  the  Presbytery,  and  the  interdict  of 
the  Court  of  Session. 

To  Mr.  Mackail. 

"Glasgow,  27th  August  1840. 
"  My  dear  John, — I  am  glad  to  date  from  Glasgow 
once  more.  Arrived  late  last  night ;  got  another 
letter  from  you,  and  answer  it  the  very  first  thing  I 
do.  Did  I  write  despondently  from  Aberdeen?  I 
can  easily  understand  that.  Was  sad,  and  alone  all 
day  in  the  steamboat.  Was  not  in  good  spirits 
about  going  to  Strathbogie ;  a  sort  of  suspicion 
had  entered  my  mind  that  there  was  not  much 
use  for  me,  though  the  authorities  sent  me,  and 
I  had  yielded  to  go.  Moreover,  I  was  writing  in 
the  public  room  of  an  inn,  surrounded  by  all  sorts 
of  cattle.  Had  I  written  from  Strathbogie  it  would 
have  been  in  a  different  strain.  I  was  happy — very 
happy  there.  There  was  use  for  me,  and  I  think 
I  never  was  so  useful.  Delightful  communion  with 
Macdonald  of  Blairgowrie,  your  predecessor,  at 
Botriphnie.  Communion  in  open  air, — a  beautiful 
little  glen ;  great  number  of  people — and  great 
power  accompanying  the  Word  and  Sacrament. 
Macdonald  and  I  just  took  time  about  all  the 
day,  and  Millar  preached  in  the  evening.  The 
greatest  day  was  Monday.  It  was  wet,  and  we 
were   in  the   barn.     They  say  they  can  stow  away 


chap.  n.        PREACHING  AT  STRATHDOGIE.  145 

400  in  it.  I  had  just  arrived  from  Keith  after 
the  people  had  met,  and  it  was  time  to  begin. 
Maedonald  refused  to  go  in  first,  saying  he  was 
not  prepared  to  preach.  I  agreed  to  go  up  and 
conduct  the  devotions,  and  thereafter  to  expound 
a  little,  or  preach,  as  I  should  then  feel  inclined, 
leaving  him  to  preach  or  expound  a  little, 
according  to  my  movements.  Well,  I  could  not 
decide  what  to  do  till  I  opened  the  Bible  to 
read,  and  ventured  a  text.  Preached  with  freedom, 
but  felt  nothing  remarkable.  I  saw  some  of  the 
people  taking  it,  and  felt  encouraged  to  go  on ; 
but  my  friends  told  me  afterwards  that  they 
marked  them  in  all  parts  of  the  house  subdued 
one  after  another,  all  affected,  and  most  in  silent 
tears. 

Maedonald  went  up  to  preach,  greatly  encouraged 
by  having  seen  this  among  the  people.  Preached 
with  much  unction  and  force,  and  the  impression 
continued  and  was  deepened.  Here  and  there  a 
repressed  yet  audible  sigh  —  one  after  another 
hardy,  weather-beaten  nem,  after  struggling  a 
while,  suddenly  ducking  down  their  heads  and 
hiding  their  faces  in  their  plaids.  We  were  all 
very  happy. 

"  But  the  most  remarkable  to  me  was  a  Sabbath 
evening  sermon  in  the  open  air,  at  a  village  six  and 
a-half  miles  from  Botriphnie,  in  the  parish  of  Keith. 
Before  the  communion  service  at  Botriphnie  was 
over,  I  rode  off  to  that  village,  where  a  sermon  had 
K 


146  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  n. 

been  announced.  Got  to  the  place  after  all  were 
gathered.  The  barn  was  full,  and  a  host  clinging 
outside  the  door  and  on  the  street.  Decided  at  once 
to  go  out :  could  have  no  place  but  an  exposed  park 
(cold  north  wind,  by  this  time  seven  o'clock  evening) 
— people  crowded  very  close,  standing.  I  asked 
them  to  stand  back  a  little  to  give  me  room,  but 
those  without  pressed  so  much,  that  the  inner  circle 
could  not  move.  So  close  were  they  that  I  could  only 
see  the  nearest ;  wherefore  I  mounted  the  chair  they 
had  given  me  to  sit  on,  and  so  commanded  them. 
Oh,  it  was  grand  !  I  preached  from  '  By  him  believe 
in  God;'  and  preached  in  a  way  that  I  never  had 
done  before.  It  was  a  great  freshening  to  my  faith. 
I  could  not  but  feel  that  the  Master  had  taken  the 
work  into  His  own  hands,  and  through  my  lips  sent 
a  word  to  that  people  that  they  will  never  forget. 
The  missionary,  seeing  the  people  very  much  solem- 
nised, asked  me,  while  singing  the  psalm  at  the  end, 
to  preach  on  the  following  evening  at  Keith.  I 
agreed,  and  he  intimated  it,  asking  the  people  to 
tell  their  friends.  We  met  accordingly  in  the  church 
(a  large  and  comfortable  Secession  Church)  at  Keith 
on  Monday  evening.  Church  full  and  more ;  some- 
thing of  a  good  work  done,  but  not  so  much  as  my 
good  friend  the  missionary  expected.  I  began  to 
fear  very  much  a  burst  of  excitement ;  and  when  I 
saw  their  faces  assembled,  did  not  venture  to  take 
either  a  startling  or  a  rousing  sermon,  but  a  lecture 
leading  to  much  exposition  ;  here  and  there  in  it  a 


chap.  ii.  CALL  TO  RA  THO.  147 

short  appeal  appeared  to  me  quite  enough.  The 
missionary  told  me  after  (and  the  same  thing  had 
occurred  to  myself)  that  they  were  just  like  a  great 
mass  of  combustible  material  waiting  for  a  spark  to 
be  thrown.  My  paper  and  my  time  are  done,  but  I 
am  not  now  in  dull  spirits  about  going  to  Strath- 
bogie.  I  am  just  going  to  Halley's.  He  is  no 
worse.  Mary  tells  me  you  are  preaching  well.  Go 
on,  and  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  prosper. 
When  we  learn  to  feel  ourselves  all  in  the  hands  of 
the  Great  Shepherd,  He  will  enable  any  of  us  to 
preach  well. — Yours,  Wm.  Arnot." 

A  few  months  previous  to  the  Disruption,  a  pre- 
sentation which  he  received  to  the  parish  of  Ratho, 
near  Edinburgh,  gave  him  an  opportunity  of  ex- 
pressing fully,  both  in  public  and  private,  his  opinions 
on  the  subject  of  patronage,  which  was  at  that  time 
so  much  under  discussion.  The  history  of  the  case 
is  given  in  the  following  letter  to  Mr.  Mackail : — 


To  Mr.  Mackail. 

•'  Glasgow,  1st  July  1842. 

"My  dear  JonN, —  You  are  good  at  keeping 
secrets  and  giving  advices.  Here  is  a  secret;  send 
me  your  advice. 

"  The  presentation  to  Ratho  has  been  offered  to 
me — of   course   without   application,    direct    or    in- 


148  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  ii. 

direct.  I  knew  nothing  at  all  until  a  letter  reached 
me  from  one  of  the  trustees  (of  Dr.  Davidson),  who 
are  sound  men. 

"  All  I  have  done  is  this  :  Heard  that  a  Mr.  Thom- 
son, of  Yester,  was  the  object  of  the  people's  choice ; 
that  patrons  hesitated,  because  a  '  moderate '  would 
certainly  succeed  him  at  Yester.  I  wrote  the  very 
day  this  letter  reached  me,  asking  information,  say- 
ing I  would  not  accept  if  I  would  be  sent  to  the 
people  as  the  barrier  between  them  and  the  object 
of  their  choice.  To-day  a  semi-official  letter  from 
an  Edinburgh  advocate,  whose  praise  is  in  all  the 
churches,  calling  my  information  anent  Thomson  a 
'fancy;'  averring  that  for  the  reason  given,  the 
trustees  have  determined  not  to  present  Thomson ; 
that  the  people,  while  he  and  another  have  been 
named,  have  asked  them  to  proceed  themselves  to 
nominate  a  suitable  person,  and  urging  me  to  accept. 
A  private  letter  from  Archd.  Bonar  to  the  same 
effect. 

"Now,  I  must  at  least  consider  it.  As  the  first 
step,  I  have  summoned  my  elders  for  this  evening. 
I  could  not  decide  myself  and  then  tell  them.  We 
are  just  like  so  many  brothers.  I  fear  there  are 
many  good  reasons  for  a  removal  (and  if  ever,  now). 
Few  country  parishes  are  in  the  hands  of  men  who 
would  give  them  to  me,  and  few  country  parishes 
are  like  Ratho.  The  stipend  is  one  of  the  best  class, 
though  not  the  highest  (1400  people).  My  health 
and  the  stock  of  my  brain  seem  imperatively  to  de- 


chap  n.  CALL  TO  RATHO.  149 

mand  the  thing.  On  the  other  hand,  to  counter- 
balance all,  there  is  St.  Peter's.  I  have  been 
wondrous  calm  on  it  as  yet,  but  must  decide  by 
about  Monday. 

"  Here  is  a  thought  of  not  more  than  an  hour's 
age — Is  it  a  truth  or  a  temptation  %  Have  not  St. 
Peter's  people  got  all  out  of  me  once  over,  and 
might  I  not  hope  to  do  as  much  good  by  the  hold  I 
have  on  them,  in  the  way  of  preaching  once  or 
twice  a-year  at  the  Sacrament,  as  by  staying  among 
them  ? 

"  Of  course,  if  I  should  decide  to  accept  this  pre- 
sentation, I  would  take  means  to  secure  that  I  was 
not  intruded.  I  would  insist  on  an  unequivocal, 
positive  call  in  some  form  or  other." 

•  •  •  •  • 

The  following  is  taken  from  a  newspaper  report 
of  the  proceedings  of  the  Presbytery  of  Glasgow  in 
the  case. 

"  Mr.  Arnot  thought  it  right  to  say  a  few  words 
in  explanation  of  the  line  of  conduct  he  had 
adopted.  What  he  understood  by  a  presentation 
was,  that  it  was  just  a  presentation  and  nothing 
more ;  that  while  the  grievance  of  patronage  re- 
mained, a  presentation  was  the  mode  adopted  for 
sending  a  minister  before  a  congregation ;  but  that 
on  the  call  only  of  the  people  was  the  minister  to  be 
inducted.  Such  he  understood  to  be  the  sense  in 
which   it   was    held   by   the   Church.     He   had    ex- 


150  MEMOIR  OF  REV.  W.  ARNOT.         chap.  n. 

plained  this  to  the  patrons  before  he  accepted  the 
presentation,  and  also  to  his  session,  intimating  that 
he  waited  to  see  if  there  was  a  hearty  call  from  the 
people,  when  he  would  accept  it.  n  the  meantime, 
the  Presbytery  of  Edinburgh  had  thought  proper  to 
sist  proceedings  in  the  case.  He  had  no  official 
announcement  of  what  had  occurred  there ;  but 
from  private  information,  he  learned  that  there  had 
been  an  ordinary  attendance  of  the  people  at  Ratho, 
and  that  the  call  had  been  on  the  whole  well  signed. 
The  Presbytery,  however,  had  sisted  proceedings 
till  their  next  meeting,  chiefly,  as  he  understood, 
with  the  view  of  sending  this  and  all  other  calls  and 
presentations  to  the  Assembly,  under  the  belief  that 
the  Church  would  not  go  on,  with  the  liabilities  to 
which  she  would  be  exposed  by  the  late  decision  of 
the  House  of  Lords  in  the  case  of  Auchterarder.  It 
was  not  necessary  that  he  should  say  anything 
there  about  accepting  the  call ;  but  he  might  state, 
if  he  were  to  express  his  feelings  on  the  matter, 
that  what  had  occurred  seemed  to  be  a  providential 
bar  put  in  the  way  of  his  going  to  Ratho — that  it 
was  not  the  will  of  the  Lord  he  should  be  there, — 
and  therefore  he  should  at  once  say  that  he  would 
resign  it ;  but  he  felt  that  he  must  have  time  to 
correspond  with  his  friends  in  Edinburgh,  as  he 
should  wish  to  do  nothing  that  might  embarrass 
those  who  were  engaged  as  its  warmest  friends  in 
the  cause  of  the  Church." 


chap.  n.  CALL  TO  RATH O.  151 

To  Mr.  Maokail. 

"Glasgow,  26^  August  J842. 
"My  DEAR  JOHN, — I  have  no  time  and  no  heart 
to  write.  You  will  see  the  newspapers.  I  liked 
the  position  that  Candlish  and  Gordon  took  at 
Ratho.  I  think  it  was  capital ;  but  there  are 
indications  that  they  will  not  be  supported.  They 
will  likely  be  obliged  to  propose  to  go  on  with 
settlements  that  are  not  objected  to ;  in  which 
case  you  may  expect  to  learn,  from  the  report 
of  next  Presbytery  of  Edinburgh,  that  I  have 
resigned  all  interest  in  Ratho,  on  the  ground  of  the 
insufficiency  of  the  call.  Seventy --eight  communi- 
cants one  week  after  the  moderation,  that  is  one- 
fifth  of  the  whole.  I  know  I  shall  meet  with  much 
opposition  in  tendering  the  resignation,  but  I  hope 
to  be  firm.  They  may  get  plenty  more  to  sign,  for 
there  really  is  no  opposition  in  the  parish ;  but  I 
shall  not  count  additional  signatures  now ;  I  hold 
that  the  spontaneous  flow  is  past,  and  what  remains 
are  the  dregs,  squeezed  out  by  the  pressure  of  solici- 
tude. I  am  wonderfully  easy ;  very  thankful  that 
the  path  seems  clear ;  that  I  am  hedged  up  to  be 
here  when  the  crash  comes.  It  has  done  me  good ; 
I  am  very  happy.  My  position  here  is  not  in  the 
least  shaken ;  an  open  door,  a  glorious  field  here. 
Bless  the  Lord,  oh  my  soul!  I  think  I  am  more 
willing  to  work  or  suffer  than  I  was  before." 

The  result  was  that  he  withdrew  his  acceptance 


152  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  ii. 

of  the  presentation,  and  gave  np  all  thoughts  of  a 
country  charge,  turning  his  attention  with  renewed 
energy  to  congregational  work  among  his  old  people. 

To  Mr.  Mackail. 

"Glasgow,  12th  September  1842. 

"My  dear  John, — 

" ....  I  have  found  out  to-day  a  most  delightful 
instance  of  the  Lord's  work  prospering  in  our  hands 
here, — a  young  mother  of  five  children,  the  two 
younger  lately  dead.  I  knew  something  of  her  for  a 
while ;  had  a  call  from  her  about  a  year  ago ;  have 
seen  her  since  in  presence  of  her  own  family,  and 
also  by  herself,  but  not  much  conversation  ;  have 
marked  her  very  eager  at  church,  and  her  husband 
always  with  her.  To-day  she  let  out  the  whole  to 
me.  This  is  the  right  teaching;  how  clearly  she 
gave  me  the  Gospel,  and  all  the  time  thinking  that 
she  was  confused,  and  that  I  would  not  understand 
her.  Eager  to  tell  others  of  this  salvation  ;  has 
hopes  of  her  husband  ;  speaks  of  him  with  inimitable 
prudence  and  tenderness.  Were  in  good  circum- 
stances in  Kilmarnock  when  married  ;  since,  many 
misfortunes.  Now,  after  much  industry  and  toil, 
recovering  and  clearing  themselves.  Oh,  it  is  good 
for  me  to  see  the  new  life  manifested  in  such 
freshness  and  simplicity.  This  was  the  first  day 
I  have  started  to  visit  among  my  own  people 
after  the  long  interruption  by  this  Ratho  ;  think, 
is  it  not  an  omen  %     I  do  accept  it  as  a  token  for 


CONVOCA  TION.  1 53 


good,  and  am  encouraged  to  go  on.  To  show 
you  a  specimen  of  the  prudence  of  the  woman, 
I  was  told  incidentally  by  one  of  the  elders  that 
she  was  in  great  distress  at  the  prospect  of  my 
removal.  It  was  partly  on  this  account  that  I 
found  her  out  to-day.  But  she  never  said  anything 
about  it  to  me. 

"  Upon  the  whole,  I  think  I  see  it  is  a  right 
way  in  which  I  have  been  led  from  beginning 
to  end  about  Ratho.  I  have  got  good  from  the 
tossings  of  it." 

The  following  are  some  notes  of  the  Convocation 
preparatory  to  the  Disruption,  held  in  Edinburgh  in 
November  1842  : — 

"  16th  November  1842. — Left  Glasgow  at  9  A.M.  to 
attend  the  Convocation  at  Edinburgh.  Took  Larbert 
in  the  way,  and  preached  there,  it  being  the  Fast 
Day.     Went  by  canal  to  Edinburgh  in  the  evening. 

"  Mr.  Dempster,  Dr.  Forbes,  Mr.  Gemmel,  Mr.  Morri- 
son, and  Mr.   Urquhart  in  the  boat;  very  pleasant 

journey;  Convocation  the  prevailing  topic 

Arrived  at  eight.  The  meeting  of  Commission  was 
going  on ;  had  some  things  to  do,  and  did  not  go 
out ;  regretted  much  afterwards,  as  Candlish  made 
an  able  speech. 

"Thursday,  17th  November. — In  the  morning  sat 
in  and  wrote  address  to  preachers  and  students  for 
the  next  number  of  the  Watchword.  In  the  forenoon 
went  out  to  get  my  ticket  for  the  Convocation ;  then 


154  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  11. 

a  prayer-meeting  in  St.  George's ;  got  in  only  to  the 
concluding  psalm.  After  half  an  hour,  congregation 
assembled  for  worship  at  2\  P.M.  Mr.  MacDonald  of 
Urquhart,  the  devotions.  Dr.  Chalmers  preached; 
sermon  to  be  published.  Text,  '  Unto  the  upright 
light  shall  arise  in  the  darkness.'  Less  of  vehemence 
than  usual  in  his  preaching,  but  more  of  Scripture  in 
the  sermon,  and  great  solemnity  of  manner;  chas- 
tened and  sad  in  his  appearance.  Most  appropriate 
the  sermon,  and  evidently  felt  by  the  audience.  Dr. 
MacFarlane  of  Greenock  prayed. 

"  Convocation  met  in  the  evening  at  7  o'clock,  in 
Roxburgh  Church ;  attendance  large.  Dr.  Chalmers 
took  the  chair.  A  good  deal  of  routine  business, 
preparing  for  the  following  days  Not  very  promis- 
ing the  aspect ;  apparently  the  elements  of  division. 
Appointed  a  committee  to  arrange  the  business ;  but 
meantime  it  is  understood  that  the  subject  of  to- 
morrow is,  '  The  exact  effect  of  the  recent  Auchter- 
arder  decision  (damages  case)  on  our  constitution, 
and  the  element  or  elements  that  must  of  necessity 
enter  into  any  measure  which  the  Church  can 
tolerate.' 

"  Agreed  that  we  should  begin  every  sederunt  with 
praise,  reading  the  Word,  and  prayer;  also  that 
there  shall  be  prayer  at  other  times  besides  the 
beginning  and  the  end  of  the  sittings — at  least  once 
in  the  course  of  each. 

"Friday  morning. — Dr.  MacFarlane  of  Greenock 
in  the  chair.     Opened  the  business  by  a  statement  of 


CONVOCA  TION.  155 


the  case ;  followed  by  several  others.  Still  appear- 
ance of  difference. 

"  Evening  sederunt  (Friday). — Mr.  Begg  read  his 
motion,  pledging  us  to  the  abolition  of  Patronage  as 

a  sine  qua  non Candlish  ably  expounded 

the  ambiguity,  that  anti-patronage  is  not  an  essen- 
tial element,  in  a  sense  that  we  could  not  continue  at 
all  in  the  Establishment  xvithout  it. 

"  Lengthened  conversation  on  the  subject,  in  the 
course  of  which  a  luminous  statement  by  Cunning- 
ham. Still  appearance  of  much  difference  of  opinion. 
But  while  merely  from  the  speaking,  one  would  have 
thought  there  was  little  prospect  of  unanimity,  yet 
when  the  essential  principle  was  well  put  in  any  of 
the  addresses,  one  might  easily  feel  a  healthy  pulse 
beating  through  the  assembly ;  hearty  sympathy 
with  the  essential  element,  and  a  clear  perception  of 
the  hollowness  of  the  extreme  views.  Went  home 
somewhat  sad.  Led  to  pray  more  in  families  than  if 
our  prospects  had  been  better 

"  In  reference  to  the  proposal  of  Mr.  Smith,  and  also 
of  Mr.  Paul  of  Edinburgh,  to  try  to  get  a  good  non- 
intrusion measure,  suggested  to  friends  at  dinner  the 
following  analogy : — A  ti-aveller  is  crossing  the  Fife 
Ferry.  A  dispute  arises  between  him  and  the 
master  of  the  steamer  about  the  speed  of  the  boat 
or  its  direction.  The  skipper  is  not  going  quick 
enough,  or  he  is  not  on  the  right  track.  One  man 
stands  forward,  and  proposes  to  put  the  traveller 
right  by  allowing  him,  meantime,  to  mount  his  own 


156  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.il 

horse.  The  skipper  smiles,  with  his  quid  in  his 
cheek  and  the  helm  "in  his  hand.  The  refractory- 
passenger  has  been  allowed  to  mount  his  OAvn  horse, 
but  horse  and  passenger  are  wholly  in  the  power  of 
the  skipper.  So  with  us:  though  we  had  non- 
intrusion, though  we  had  anti-patronage  to-morrow, 
by  the  supremacy  which  the  courts  have  assumed 
over  our  jurisdiction,  they  control  us,  and  our  anti- 
patronage  too,  as  they  think  best. 

"  Saturday  morning. — Late  sitting,  but  no  decision. 
Principal  feature  of  the  meeting,  address  by  Dr. 
Chalmers.  He  had  not  heard  the  discussion,  but 
Mr.  Hanna  had  let  him  into  the  state  of  matters 
privately,  and  it  was  amusing  to  see  him  pounce 
with  such  exactness  on  the  very  points  of  danger, 
though  he  had  never  been  in  the  house.  Never 
saw  him  more  animated ;  the  effect  was  tremendous. 
.  .  .  .  Put  clearly  the  difference  between  extreme- 
ness of  principle  and  strength  of  principle 

"Agreed  to  call  roll,  and  ask  the  members  to  say 
agree,  or  not  Called.  Including  some  who  after- 
wards adhered,  427  agreed. 

"  Went  home  at  six  (after  dining  with  Dr.  Cand- 
lish)  by  railway.  Preached  on  forenoon  of  Sabbath ; 
told  the  people  a  little  of  the  result;  they  seemed 
very  eager  to  hear  it." 

He  returned  to  Edinburgh  on  Monday,  and  the 
notes  continue. 

"       ...     Dr.   Chalmers — '  What    I  want   is    at 


chap.  ii.  SUSTENTA  TION  FUND.  157 

least  £100,000,  that  is  a  penny  a-week  from  every 
family.  Many  won't  give,  but  one  gentleman  has 
announced  £150  per  annum.  It  is  said  so  many  will 
not;  so  many  deficiencies.  Well,  here  goes  (great 
laughter)  compensation :  one  has  offered  (Dr.  Smyt- 
tan)  £300  a-year;  other  instances.  Some  elders  at 
a  meeting  proposed  a  percentage  on  means — say  10 
per  cent.  No  difficulty  in  the  arithmetic  of  the  ques- 
tion, but  some  anxiety  about  the  agency — not  the 
anxiety  that  leads  to  despair,  but  that  quickens  to 
exertion.  Explain  the  human  nature  (laughter)  oi 
the  question ;  resuscitation  of  deacons ;  an  impulse 
at  first,  but  care  must  be  taken  that  what  was  a 
thing  of  impulse  at  the  first  may  be  a  thing  of  habit 
afterwards  :  more  effective  still  if  we  ascend  higher, 
to  the  apostolic  order  of  deaconesses.  Wesleyans 
raise  £200,000  a-year,  and  their  numbers  are  but 
600,000,  and  they  are  merely  congregational;  they 
should  be  outdone  by  us  who,  I  trust,  whether  with 
or  without  an  endowment,  will  never  renounce  the 
territorial  system.' 

"  Tuesday  ;  morning  sederunt. —  ....  Dr. 
MacFarlaue  introduced  the  resolutions  to  the  effect 
that  we  should  give  up  the  endowment  if,  in  answer 
to  our  remonstrance,  the  legislature  do  not  relieve 
us  from  the  decision  of  the  courts. 

"  Mr.  Begg  speaks  ingeniously  against  them, 
much  truth  in  the  arguments  he  employs,  that  there 
is  temptation  on  the  one  side  as  well  as  on  the 
other — tempted  to  leave  our  post  before  the  time. 


158  MEMOIR  OF  REV.  W.  ARNOT.         chap.  n. 

Agrees  in  all  with  us  except  in  this  one  event — if 
the  legislature  do  nothing.  He  would  keep  possession ; 
a  duty  to  do  it ;  a  right  to  do  it. 

"  .  .  .  .  (Query?  A  ship  dropping  down 
the  river.  You  can't  guide  it ;  it  would  go  quick 
down,  but  at  some  time  it  will  go  ashore.  Cast  an 
anchor  astern,  and  let  the  length  of  the  cable  be 
regulated  so  that  it  will  not  stop,  but  slightly  check, 
the  progress  of  the  vessel.  She  will  not  move  so 
quick,  but  she  will  answer  her  helm.  Are  not  Begg 
and  his  friends,  with  all  their  hindrances,  just  the 
drag  on  the  meeting,  diminishing  the  rapidity  of 
its  advancement,  but  securing  the  rectitude  of  its 
course.) 

"  .  .  .  .  Devotion  at  this  point.  Mr.  M'Cheyne 
prayed.  All  much  solemnised.  Much  of  a  spirit  of 
prayer ;  much  more  of  stillness  and  evidence  of  im- 
pression than  usual — clear  proof  of  what  many  of  us 
have  felt  all  the  time,  that  we  have  lost  much  by 
asking  almost  exclusively  old  men  to  pray." 

When  the  crisis  came,  Mr.  Arnot,  with  his  whole 
congregation,  left  the  Establishment,  though  they 
continued  for  some  years  in  possession  of  their  old 
place  of  worship. 


CHAPTER    III. 

"V/TR.  ARNOT'S  first  literary  work  was  trie  memoir 
of  his  friend  and  fellow  student,  James  Halley, 
who  died  in  1841.  The  memoir  was  to  have  been 
written  by  Mr.  Arnot  and  Mr.  James  Hamilton  con- 
jointly, but  Mr.  Hamilton's  removal  to  London  pre- 
vented him  taking  his  share  of  the  work.  The 
first  edition  was  published  anonymously,  but  in 
the   second  and   third   Mr.   Arnot's  name  appeared 

as  author. 

DIARY. 

"  17th  April  1842.— The  memoir  of  Halley  nas 
been  published  and  sold,  and  for  a  month  past  I  have 
been  much  employed  in  revising  a  second  edition, 
which  is  now  ready.  My  name  to  appear  on  the 
title  page;  much  thought  about  this.  Much  pride 
in  me,  and  it  must  be  a  very  wicked  pride,  for  at 
the  time  when  it  is  worst  my  friends  give  me  credit 
for  humility, 

"  Have  in  some  things  of  late  experienced  a  little 
refreshing,     but     still     great     spiritual     deaclness. 

159 


1G0  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.        chap.  in. 

Indolence  a  besetting  sin.  God  has  given  me  a  con- 
siderable talent  for  the  preparation  of  sermons,  and  I 
have  taken  advantage  of  that  to  favour  indolence." 

Soon  after  the  Disruption  he  was  sent,  along  with 
the  Rev.  Jonathan  Anderson,  as  a  deputation  to 
encourage  and  assist  the  ministers  and  congrega- 
tions in  Orkney  and  Shetland  who  head  cast  in  their 
lot  with  the  Free  Church.  He  was  much  interested 
in  the  work  there,  and  took  full  notes  of  it ;  but  a 
specimen  of  these  will  be  sufficient  here. 

"  On  Boaed  the  Sovereign,  off  Fife  Ness, 
28th  July,  1843. 

"  Sailed  this  morning  at  6  o'clock  from  Granton 
with  Mr.  Jonathan  Anderson. 

"  Saturday  morning. — Awoke,  after  a  pretty  good 
night's  rest,  at  5  o'clock,  and  found  the  vessel 
approaching  Wick.  Got  up  and  dressed.  Vessel  at 
anchor  in  the  bay — pretty  little  town.  Went  ashore, 
as  the  ship  was  to  lie  an  hour  and  a-half.  I  wandered 
inward  through  Pulteneytown  towards  Wick,  which 
lies  contiguous,  but  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 
A  countryman  was  driving  a  cart  with  nets  up  a 
steep  road.  The  horse  fell,  and  one  hind  leg  was 
thrown  over  the  tram  of  the  cart.  The  man  looked 
foolish  and  wept.  I  got  hold  of  the  animal's 
.head  and  kept  him  from  struggling.  Man  sorrow- 
fully continued  crying,  "  she's  shokit,  she's  shokit." 
Other  men  came  near,  and  we  got  the  beast  re- 
lieved.    The  people  looked  hard  at  me,  apparently  in 


chap.  in.  MISSION  TO  ORKNEY.  161 

great  wonderment  who  I  might  be.  It  was  no 
new  thing  to  me.  I  have  coupit  a  cart  before  this 
time,  and  lent  a  hand  at  raising  it  again. 

"  Sailed  at  half-past  seven — pretty  large  party 
at  breakfast.  A  lawyer  on  business  to  Orkney,  his, 
native  place,  asked  me  my  errand,  and  soop^it 
was  all  over  the  table  that  we  were  a  deputation 
of  the  Free  Kirk.  They  all  spoke  kindly^-most  of 
them  with  great  apparent  interest  in  our  mission. 
One  young  gentleman,  belonging  to  Stromness, 
paid  us  much  attention. 

"  Before  going  ashore,  we  sent  on  with  the  captain 
a  letter  to  Shetland,  promising  to  come  north  with 
next  week's  steamer.  / 

"  Lieutenant  Barry  drove  me  out  to  Firth,  leaving 
Mr.  Anderson  to  preach'  in  Kirkwall. 

"  Sabbath  morning.- — Communion,  open  air;  neigh- 
bourhood of  churcli ;  top  of  a  creek  running  far  into 
the  land.  Old  onurch  standing  empty.  There  has 
been  no  preacKing  in  it  since  Mr.  Malcolm  left  it. 
New  church  Within  a  few  hundred  yards.  Plain  and 
neat ;  mason  work  nearly  finished.  In  Stennis,  Mr. 
MalcolrnW  other  parish,  the  church  is  at  the  same 
stage/ 

"  A  shelter  made  by  post  and  canvas  on  the 
blowing  side  ;  great  congregation  of  well- con- 
ditioned country  people.  Mr.  Malcolm  preached — 
'Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me.'  I  took  second, 
fourth,  and  fifth  tables ;  also  concluding  address.  In 
concluding  address  was  enabled  to  preach  with  great 
L 


162  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.        chap.  m. 

freedom.      People  impressed;    several  in  tears;    all 
appeared  solemnised. 

"Monday. — Went  to  the  place  at  12  o'clock;  fine 
congregation;  preached  from  Phil.  iii.  17  with  con- 
siderable comfort  for  about  an  hour.  But,  though 
much  attention,  not  equal  impression  to  Sabbath's 
address.  Then  addressed  them  on  principles  of  the 
Free  Church  at  great  length.  Nearly  4  o'clock 
when  we  stopped;  was  surprised  to  find  myself 
able,  without  any  injury,  to  speak  so  long  in  the 
open  air  on  a  very  cold  day.  This  is  the  doing  of 
the  Lord.  Distributed  tracts  at  the  close.  Many 
people  came  up  presenting  their  hands,  thanking  me 
with  much  apparent  emotion.  A  strong  hope  that  I 
have  not  been  running  in  vain  at  this  place." 

Here  is  a  note  of  a  similar  mission  to  England. 

DIARY. 

"  January  1844. — Was  ten  days  absent  in  Sep- 
tember at  Liverpool  and  Chester  on  the  business  of 
the  Free  Church.  Encouraging  reception ;  sweet 
Christian  communion  with  several  families  in  Ches- 
ter. Shall  not  soon  forget  Cornelius  (Major  Ander- 
son of  the  Artillei'y,  with  whom  I  lived),  and  his 
household,  and  his  devout  soldier  who  waited  on 
him.  Also  I  remember  with  affection  Mr  Luke, 
the  Independent  minister. 

"  On  Saturday  was  very  much  tossed  and  prevented 


MARRIAGE.  163 


from  studying ;  tinder  engagement  to  proceed  to 
England  again  on  Wednesday,  and  distracted  by 
another  request  from  the  Commission  in  Edinburgh 
to  go  to  America,  with  other  deputies,  to  represent 
the  Free  Church  among  the  Christians  of  the 
United  States. 

"  In  regard  to  America,  I  feel  very  much  at  ease. 
I  shall  go  if,  by  the  agreement  of  all  interested,  it 
appear  to  be  the  Lord's  will. 

"One,  and  perhaps  the  principal  barrier,  is  one 
that  I  cannot  well  mention  to  others.  I  have  of  late 
a  strong  desire  to  enter  into  the  marriage  union.  I 
hope  it  is  much  more  hallowed  than  ever  it  was 
before.  I  have  had  much  freedom  in  asking  this 
gift  from  the  Lord.  I  am  waiting  now  on  His 
leading.  Some  indications  appear  as  if  He  were 
about  to  grant  this  best  blessing  on  earth.  Oh, 
that  I  may  continue  to  seek  for  it  as  an  answer 
to  prayer.  I  almost  feel  as  if  I  would  not  care  for 
it,  unless  I  can  see  it  to  be  an  answer  to  prayer. 
.  .  .  .  His  providence  in  a  wonderful  way  seems 
now  pointing  to  one,  a  child  of  the  whole  family ; 
so  many  providences  uniting,  that  I  am  now  quite 
convinced  it  is  my  duty  to  make  immediate  and 
very  direct  enquiries. 

"  25th  Ma}7. — This  day,  this  hour,  I  have  taken  a 
step  towards  marriage  much  more  decided  than  ever 
I  have  done  all  my  life  before.  I  have  written  a 
letter  soliciting  an  interview.  ...  I  have  taken 
this  step  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord.     More  of  calmness 


164  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.       chap.  hi. 

than  usual,  because  it  is  so  clearly  from  a  sense  of 
duty  and  desire  to  know  the  Lord's  will.  Oh,  send 
out  Thy  light  and  Thy  truth  to  guide  me.  Guide 
her,  oh  my  covenant  God.  May  we  both  see  Thy 
will  and  do  it.  Let  us  magnify  Thy  name  together, 
if  it  be  Thy  will ;  but  at  all  events  magnify  Thy 
name. 

"  My  grand  want  in  this  matter  now  is  grace — the 
grace  of  a  strong  faith,  to  keep  this  earthly  thing  in 
its  own  place.  It  is  swelling  in  my  heart  all  this 
day,  as  if  it  were  the  greatest  thing.     My  Lord,  my 

Redeemer,   let  me  not   dishonour   Thee 

If  on  the  morrow  our  hearts  are  drawn  together,  and 
no  obstacle  intervene,  the  whole  course  will  be  most 
conclusive  evidence  to  me  that  the  Lord  hears  and 
answers  prayer.  It  will  be  a  new  encouragement 
to  trust  in  the  Lord  at  all  times." 

The  gift  thus  earnestly  sought  was  granted,  and 
was  received  in  faith  and  thankfulness  as  a  gift 
from  the  Lord.  The  marriage  took  place  on  the 
30th  July  1844.  The  lady  was  the  second  daughter 
of  Mr.  Fleming  of  Clairmont,  Glasgow,  one  of  a 
family  of  eleven.  Although  a  stranger  to  all  of 
them  but  the  object  of  his  choice  when  he  entered 
the  family  circle,  he  gradually  gained  the  love  and 
respect  of  every  one,  and  to  the  day  of  his  death 
exercised  a  growing  influence  for  good  in  the  midst 
of  them. 

The  following  sentence  is  from  a  letter  written  to 


chap.  in.      APPOINTMENT  TO  MONTREAL.  165 

bis  future  wife  on  a  Sabbath  evening  some  ten  days 
before  their  marriage. 

"I  have  been  sitting  with  my  sister  trying  to 
improve  our  circumstances.  She  told  me  to-night 
that  she  thinks  she  was  living  without  God  in  the 
world  before  she  came  to  live  with  me.  This  is  a 
very  solemnising  thought  to  me ;  a  mixture  of  joy 
and  sorrow  it  is.  It  is  the  preaching  that  has  been 
blessed  to  her ;  alas,  she  has  got  very  little  good 
otherwise  from  me ;  and  she  has  known  all  my 
inconsistencies." 

The  visit  to  America,  as  it  turned  out,  was  only 
postponed,  and  that  not  for  long.  In  the  spring  of 
the  following  year,  he  was  requested  by  the  Colonial 
Committee  of  the  Church  to  supply  the  newly- 
organised  Free  Church  congregation  in  Montreal 
for  some  months,  and  agreed  to  do  so. 

To  Bev.  John  Sym,  Convener  of  F.  C.  Colonial 
Committee,  Edinburgh. 

"Glasgow,  21st  April  1845. 

"My  dear  Sir, — I  received  your  letter  of  this' 
day's  date  at  six  o'clock,  but  I  could  do  nothing 
in  the  way  of  answering  it  till  I  saw  the  elders 
and  deacons,  and  so  this  will  only  go  with  the  mail 
of  to-morrow  morning.  I  have  had  a  very  pleasant 
meeting.  I  have  come  home  greatly  gratified  with 
the  liberality  of  my  office-bearers.     Not  one  of  them 


ICG  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.        chap.  m. 

whispered  an  objection.  They  set  themselves  in- 
stantly to  devise  measures  for  the  management  of 
the  congregation  during  my  absence." 

He  sailed  from  Liverpool  on  the  4th  of  May,  ac- 
companied by  his  wife.  The  journey  from  Glasgow 
to  Liverpool  was  made  by  sea,  and  the  following 
note,  written  on  the  way,  shows  how  much  enjoy- 
ment he  anticipated  from  the  much-needed  rest  and 
relaxation : — 

"  On  board  'The  Admiral,'  in  the  Clyde, 
1st  May  1845. 

"  I  am  now  clear  of  land,  clear  of  Scotland  for  four 
months  to  come.  I  feel  that  I  am  quit  of  Glasgow. 
The  sensation  I  experience,  if  not  new  in  kind,  is 
greater  in  degree  than  any  heretofore.  I  feel  as  if  I 
had  thrown  off  a  nightmare  load  that  has  for  years 
been  pressing  and  oppressing  me.  I  breathe  more 
freely.  My  bell  cannot  ring  to-morrow  morning ;  no 
caller  will  be  shown  in.  no  deputation  in  want  of  a 
speech  or  a  sermon,  no  letter  requiring  an  answer. 
Not  that  I  count  my  duties  a  burden — at  least  I  would 
not  wish  to  be  permanently  relieved  from  them.  To 
be  laid  aside  inactive,  I  know  I  would  feel  to  be 
a  severer  trial,  than  to  continue  to  the  end  of  my 
days  in  the  bustle.  But  a  temporary  relief,  while 
yet  my  strength  is  unimpaired,  is  very  sweet ;  it  is 
rest  to  the  weary.  I  hope  I  have  some  love  to  the 
work   of  the   ministry,   because   it  is  the    work    of 


chap.  in.  STARTS  FOR  AMERICA.  167 

the  Lord.  I  would  not  be  willing  to  renounce  it 
Moreover,  the  particular  field  allotted  to  me  is  very 
pleasing.  My  lines  have  been  cast  in  a  pleasant 
place.  Yet  this  relief  from  the  manifold  cares  oi 
the  Church  is  a  refreshing  to  one's  mind.  I  hope 
the  effect  may  be  good.  This  relaxation  may  be  the 
means  of  imparting  greater  vigour.  A  lengthened 
absence  may  quicken  my  appetite  for  the  enjoyments 
and  labours  of  my  own  home  duties  among  my  flock. 
"  I  don't  sufficiently  realise  yet  the  magnitude  of 
the  voyage  that  is  before  me ;  but  in  so  far  as  it 
is  present  to  my  mind,  I  think  I  feel  it  profitable. 
When  I  am  fairly  on  the  wide  ocean,  I  hope  to  get 
some  help  from  its  solitude  in  lifting  up  my  soul  to 
God." 

A  short  report  of  the  longer  voyage,  given  in  a 
letter  to  one  of  his  elders,  will  be  more  suitable  for 
insertion  here,  than  any  extracts  from  the  more 
detailed  account  in  his  note-book. 


To  Mr.  John  Goodwin,  Glasgow. 

"  On  board  the  'Britannia,'  on  the  Great  Bank  of 
Newfoundland,  \Uh  May  1845. 

"  My  dear  Sir, — As  the  labour  of  securing  regular 
supply  for  the  pulpit  has  been  laid  chiefly  on  you,  I 
address  to  you  this  notice  of  my  progress,  although 
it  is  intended  for  all  who  care  about  my  wanderings. 
We  have  now  good  ground  to  hope  that  we  shall 


108  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  hi. 

reach  Halifax  before  the  homeward-bound  steamer 
leaves  it,  and  so  this  letter  will  reach  you  soon. 

"  Of  course  you  will  not  expect  much  in  this  letter 
beyond  a  notice  of  our  safety  hitherto.  We  have 
had  a  very  rough  passage.  The  officers  all  say  it 
has  been  quite  January  weather.  We  had  a  week 
of  almost  uninterrupted  sickness.  I  have  heard  of 
ministers  doing  great  things  on  board  during  the 
passage.  This  is  not  for  me;  I  have  been  useless. 
My  mind  could  not  bear  itself,  far  less  any  other 
burden.  I  made  a  sort  of  effort  to  preach  in  the 
saloon  on  Sabbath  morning,  the  most  feeble  and 
embarrassed  that  I  remember  ever  to  have  made  ; 
my  tongue  cleaving  to  my  mouth  with  sickness, 
head  giddy,  and  scarcely  able  to  keep  balance  with 
the  pitching  of  the  ship.  I  have  been  thinking  of 
the  congregation,  and  wondering  how  these  last 
ten  dreary  days  can  ever  be  turned  to  good  account 
for  them:  it  has  neither  been  activity  nor  rest, 
neither  solitude  nor  social  intercourse.  From  morn- 
ing to  night  the  ship  is  like  a  crowded  inn.  How- 
ever, there  may  be  some  way  of  reaping  fruit  from 
this  apparently  barren  field.  The  very  vacancy  of 
mind  may,  perhaps,  serve  some  such  purpose  as 
the  fallowing  of  a  field.  There  may  be  renewed 
strength  in  its  bound  when  it  gets  firm  footing  on 
the  land  again. 

"  But  we  have  been  picking  up  some  experience. 
We  have  seen  great  swelling  waves.  We  have 
seen  much  of  a  'sea  that  cannot  rest.'      We  have 


chap.  in.        INCIDENTS  OF  THE  VOYAGE.  169 

seen  icebergs,  hills  of  ice  standing  up  as  steadfast 
from  the  bosom  of  the  deep  as  if  their  foundation 
rested  on  the  everlasting  hills,  glittering  beauti- 
fully in  the  sun,  and  chilling  the  atmosphere  to 
the  freezing  point  for  many  miles  around.  This 
was  the  scene  of  yesterday,  with  a  very  turbulent 
sea.  The  principal  occupation  of  the  passengers 
to-day  has  been  to  look  from  the  upper  deck  along 
the  surface  of  the  unruffled  deep  for  the  puffing 
and  tumbling  of  porpoises.  After  we  were  pretty 
well  satisfied  with  this  amusement,  another  attrac- 
tion was  announced;  a  land  bud  had  taken  refuge 
on  the  ship's  bowsprit,  and  there  to  be  sure  it 
was,  a  poor  little  thing  like  a  sparrow,  resting  its 
wearied  wing  now  on  one  place,  now  on  another, 
notwithstanding  the  close  and  eager  gaze  of  the 
passengers,  and  the  officious  kindness  of  a  benevo- 
lent little  Frenchman  tossing  bits  of  bread  to  feed 
'  de  poor  little  bird.' 

"  We  have  seen  much  of  man  as  well  as  of 
other  animals  in  this  little  world  of  ours  during  its 
passage  over  the  sea ;  but  alas !  there  has  not  been 
energy  of  mind  to  register  the  observations,  that 
they  might  be  afterwards  turned  to  account.  The 
catalogue  of  different  nations,  if  written  out,  would 
present  an  aspect  variegated  somewhat  after  the 
fashion  of  the  register  in  Acts  ii.  of  the  worshippers 
assembled  at  Jerusalem.  Oh,  over  this  Babel,  as 
corrupt  as  it  is  confused,  when  will  the  one  Spirit 
be  poured  out  ?     What  with  the  foreigners — French, 


170  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  in. 

Spanish,  German,  Polish — and  what  with  the  efforts 
of  English  and  American  passengers  to  accom- 
modate the  strangers,  the  prevailing  sound  some- 
times in  the  saloon  is  a  strange  tongue.  I  do  not 
know  if  anywhere  under  the  sun  you  could  find 
so  complete  a  world  in  miniature  as  this  ship's  com- 
pany presents.  And,  as  other  features  of  the  great 
world,  so  this  leading  characteristic  is  exactly  de- 
picted in  the  epitome;  it  is  a  world  without  God. 
What  an  idea  it  gives  of  the  work  to  be  done  ere 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world  become  the  kingdoms 
of  God  and  of  his  Christ.  The  world  must  be 
turned  upside  down ;  but  the  arm  of  its  Maker  is 
mighty  still.     When  will  it  be  revealed  % 

"  This  is  really  a  good  day — the  first  we  have  had. 
We  are  now  going  along  on  a  smooth  sea,  at  the 
rate  of  eleven  miles  an  hour.  We  have  run  232 
miles  within  the  last  twenty-four  hours — the  best 
day's  log  of  the  whole  voyage.  We  hope  to  reach 
Halifax  at  two  o'clock  on  Saturday,  and  Boston 
about  the  same  hour  or  earlier  on  Monday.  Pro- 
bably you  may  not  hear  from  us  again  till  we  reach 
our  destination.  Our  stay  in  Boston  will  be  very 
brief;  and  I  suppose  it  will  be  a  rapid,  bustling 
journey  to  Montreal. 

"  I  hope  to  hear,  soon  after  my  arrival,  some  in- 
telligence of  the  congregation.  I  cannot  say  I  have 
much  fear  or  anxiety  about  them,  other  than  I  have 
when  I  am  at  home.  There  will  be  praise  and 
prayer  and  the  Word  preached  every  Sabbath  in  our 


chap.  in.      THOUGHTS  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY.  171 

wonted  place  of  meeting.  Most  of  the  congregation 
will  be  there,  and  if  some  go  elsewhere,  though  I  do 
not  like  that  so  well,  yet  at  this  distance  from  them, 
and  thinking  of  the  desolation  of  other  countries,  I 
am  not  so  much  disposed  to  repine  at  their  going  to 
other  churches  as  to  rejoice  that  they  have  other 
churches  to  go  to. 

"  Kind  love  first  to  the  members  of  your  own 
family,  and  then  to  all  who  care  for  love  from  me. — 
I  am,  &c." 

The  following  was  written  home  on  the  same  day 
to  the  Convener  of  the  Colonial  Committee. 


Rev.  John  Sym. 

"  On  board  'Beitannia,'  \Uh  May  1845. 

"  My  dear  Sir, — 

"  ....  I  feel  as  if  the  physical  distance  of  my 
point  of  observation  had  already  produced  a  moral 
effect  upon  my  view,  giving  me  a  more  comprehen- 
sive and  more  accurate  conception  of  the  loved 
object  left  behind — the  Free  Church.  I  have  great 
anxiety  about  the  Assembly.  I  regret  that  I  must 
be  absent  from  its  meeting.  The  distance  helps 
wonderfully  to  give  intensity  to  the  jealousy  of 
which  Paul  speaks.  I  fear  lest  it  be  not  humble, 
and  faithful,  and  spiritual,  and  wise.  In  a  distant 
land  I  would  like  to  hear  '  of  your  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  and  love  to  all  the  saints.'     I  shall  wait  with 


172  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  m. 

trembling  for  the  accounts  of  your  proceedings. 
I  can  conceive  how  I  shall  be  ashamed  in  the 
stranger's  sight  if  there  be  symptoms  of  division  or 
of  vainglory.  It  may  be  in  part  a  prejudice,  and  yet 
I  am  sure  there  is  some  ground  for  it,  but  there  is 
nothing  I  dread  more  to  find  in  the  published  reports 
of  the  Assembly  than  the  praise  of  each  other.  Even  a 
very  little  of  it  is  incongruous  and  distasteful.  The 
Lord  is  so  glorious,  and  His  work  so  great,  that  all 
the  praise  should  go  forward  and  upward,  and  none 
of  it  be  turned  aside  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left. 
God  keep  you.  May  the  beauty  of  the  Lord  our 
God  be  upon  you,  and  be  seen  upon  you.  May  the 
Assembly,  by  the  presence  and  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  be  in  its  nature  a  light  in  the  world,  and 
become  in  its  effect  a  light  to  the  world. 

"  You  will  understand,  then,  that  this  is  a  notice 
to  the  committee  of  the  safe  arrival  of  their  mis- 
sionary at  Halifax.  I  shall  report  from  time  to  time 
whenever  I  see  anything  worthy  of  notice. — I  am, 
yours,  Wm.  ARNOT." 

Arriving  at  Boston  on  Monday  morning,  he  pro- 
ceeded south  to  New  York;  and  after  spending  a 
few  days  there,  journeyed  rapidly  to  Montreal,  in 
order  to  arrive  there  in  time  for  the  Sabbath's  work. 

In  addition  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Free 
Church  congregation,  he  acted  as  chaplain  to  the 
93rd  Regiment,  then  stationed  at  Montreal.  He 
conducted  a  special  service  for  the  soldiers  on  the 


chap.  in.  WORK  AT  MONTREAL.  173 

Sabbath  afternoon,  the  hours  of  congregational  wor- 
ship being  in  the  forenoon  and  evening.  He  also 
took  some  charge  of  the  Sabbath  schools,  taught 
two  classes  for  adults  on  Monday,  one  in  the  after- 
noon and  the  other  at  night,  and  conducted  a  prayer 
meeting  on  Wednesday  evening. 

Though  fully  occupied  with  and  deeply  interested 
in  his  work  at  Montreal,  he  did  not  forget  his  own 
flock  at  home.  He  wrote  to  them  regularly  once  a 
month  during  his  absence,  and  these  letters  show 
how  constantly  they  were  in  his  thoughts.  In  addi- 
tion to  much  useful  instruction  and  exhortation,  they 
contain  interesting  notes  of  Canada  and  the  state  of 
religion  there.  Three  of  them  are  given  here,  the 
last  being  exclusively  occupied  with  an  earnest 
appeal  to  the  consciences  of  his  people  in  view  of 
the  approaching  communion. 

To  the  Congregation  of  St.  Peter's. 

Montreal,  28th  May  1845. 

"  My  dear  Friends, — I  cannot  let  the  first  mail 
leave  for  home  without  writing  to  you,  even  if  it 
were  for  nothing  more  than  to  say  that  by  God's 
good  hand  upon  me  I  have  arrived  in  safety  on  the 
scene  of  my  labours.  This  letter  must  be  brief.  I 
have  scarcely  begun  the  work  yet.  By  another 
month  I  hope  to  know  more  of  the  place  and 
people ;  and  if  I  gather  anything  that  I  think  may 
be  useful  to  you,  you  shall  hear  of  it. 


174  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  hi. 

"  We  arrived  at  Boston  early  on  the  morning  of 
Monday,  the  19th.     We  took  the  route  that  afforded 
the   best   opportunity    of  seeing   something    of  the 
United  States,   making  sure   of  reaching  Montreal 
before  Sabbath.     I  found  Mr.   Bonar  still  with  the 
church  here.     This  afforded   me  an   opportunity  of 
visiting  some  parts  of  the  country,  and  I  preached  in 
stations  at  a  considerable  distance  from  town.     We 
have  a  meeting  of  the   congregation  in  town  this 
evening,  at  which  Mr.  Bonar  takes  his  leave,  and  I 
take  his  place.     The  congregation  has  been  formed 
anew  from  the  foundation.     A  new  temporary  church 
has  been  erected.     They  found  so  many  difficulties 
connected   with   the    property    and   constitution    of 
the  old  church  here,  that  the  only  safe  course  was  to 
abandon  it  and  build  a  Free  Church  for  themselves. 
In  this  country  it  is  easy  to  erect  a  wooden  building. 
It  was  done  in  about  a  fortnight.     It  is  commodious 
and   sufficient  for   our   present  purpose.     Steps  are 
already  taken  to  erect  a  more  substantial  edifice  in 
due   time.     On   Sabbath  last   four  elders   were  or- 
dained, and  four  deacons  have  been  elected.     As  yet 
they  have  been  of  one  heart  and   mind.     There  is 
one  feature  in  the  congregation  that  gives  it  a  pecu- 
liar claim  on  our  regard :  a  considerable  portion  of  it 
is  composed  of  Scotchmen,  who  came  to  this  place 
Presbyterians,  but  loving  a  full  free  Gospel  better 
than    their    Presbyterianism,    had    been    scattered 
among  various  churches  in  town  seeking  the  Word 
of  Life.     During  all   this   time,  however,  the   prin- 


chap.  in.  PASTORAL  LETTERS.  175 

ciples  of  their  early  days  remained  unextinguished, 
and  no  sooner  did  they  hear  of  the  banner  given 
to  the  Free  Church  to  be  displayed  for  the  truth, 
than  they  met,  and  deliberated,  and  prayed,  and 
sent  home  an  earnest  request  for  a  minister  and 
ordinances.  They  are  thankful  to  the  Lord  over  all, 
and  to  the  Church  in  Scotland,  that  so  far  they  have 
obtained  the  desire  of  their  hearts.  It  is  refreshing 
to  see  the  value  they  set  on  ordinances.  There  is  a 
gladness  in  their  very  countenances,  more  than 
could  have  been  inspired  by  the  corn  and  wine. 

"I  see  they  value  a  minister  much,  and  expect 
much  from  him.  This  is  good  for  me.  I  see  an 
earnestness  that  cannot  be  trifled  with.  It  is  very 
plain  that  if  a  minister  be  not  always  abounding  in 
the  work  of  the  Lord,  he  need  not  be  here.  This 
helps  as  an  impulse  to  one  who  so  much  needs  the 
united  force  of  all  possible  motives.  At  the  same 
time,  there  is  a  value  set  on  the  work,  and  an  honour 
given  to  the  workman  for  the  Master's  sake,  which 
greatly  encourage  me. 

"  I  speak  of  those  whom  I  have  seen.  I  do  not 
expect  all  to  be  of  the  same  spirit.  What  the  field 
for  preaching  may  be  I  do  not  yet  know,  as  I  have 
never  even  once  met  the  congregation.  We  have  a 
good  opportunity,  and  I  hope  we  will  be  enabled  to 
improve  it,  of  taking  care  not  to  add  names  to  the 
church  when  souls  have  not  been  added  to  the 
Lord. 

"As   I    have  not  yet  had  any  letter  from  home, 


176  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  A  KNOT.        chap.  in. 

and  know  so  little  of  matters  here,  I  feel  it  is  too 
soon  to  make  any  effort  to  write  to  you  at  any 
length.  After  I  have  heard  of  you,  and  seen  some- 
thing of  the  work  here,  I  hope  I  may  have  some- 
thing mere  to  write  to  you.  I  expect  to  be  up  the 
country  at  the  Synod  at  the  next  mail,  a  fortnight 
hence.  But  by  the  mail  which  leaves  this  at  the 
beginning  of  July  I  shall,  God  willing,  write  to  you 
more  fully. 

"  You  are  aware  that  Lower  Canada  is  a  popish 
country.  I  have  seen  Popery  more  triumphant  and 
less  disguised  here  than  ever  I  saAv  it  in  Ireland. 
Protestants  have  now  gained  a  preponderating  influ- 
ence in  the  city,  but  the  whole  country  is  peopled 
by  French  Papists.  The  English-speaking  inhabi- 
tants are  comparatively  few.  Every  village  has  its 
parish  church,  very  much  larger  and  more  imposing 
than  parish  churches  generally  are,  either  in  Scotland 
or  England.  It  should  stir  one's  spirit  within  him 
to  see  a  country  so  wholly  given  to  idolatry.  When 
I  come  home,  I  shall  be  able  to  tell  you  more  of 
Popery  than  I  have  ever  known  before.  I  count  it 
idolatry,  as  stupid  and  sinful  and  soul-destroying,  as 
the  idol  worship  of  the  Hindus.  When  Babylon 
falls,  great  will  be  the  fall  of  it.  Oh,  for  the  '  bright- 
ness of  His  coming  '  to  destroy  it ! 

"  In  the  hope  of  hearing  soon  how  you  do,  and  of 
writing  to  you  then  more  fully,  I  commend  you  now 
to  God  and  the  word  of  His  grace.  I  see  no  cause 
as  yet  to  regret   this  absence.     If  you   and  I  wait 


chap.  in.  PASTORAL  LETTERS.  177 

upon  the  Lord,  we  will  reap  good  fruit  from  it  yet. 
With  a  personal  regard  for  you  as  strong,  I  think, 
as  it  is  safe  to  be,  and  with  some  feeble  desire 
toward  God  for  your  souls'  life,  and  health, — I  am, 
your  friend  and  fellow-worshipper, 

Wm.  Arnot." 

To  the  Congregation  op  St.  Peter's. 

"  Montreal,  25th  June  1845. 

"My  dear  Friends, — I  hope  you  do  not  act  to- 
wards me  on  the  principle  '  out  of  sight  out  of 
mind.'  I  would  not  like  to  be  forgotten,  and 
therefore  I  write  again  to  put  you  in  remembrance. 
I  do  not  expect  at  this  distance  to  get  much  in 
the  way  of  instruction  or  exhortation  to  you. 
My  object  is  rather  to  let  you  know  where  I  am 
and  what  I  am  doing,  that  I  may  not  by  long 
absence  lose  my  place  in  your  hearts  and  your 
prayers. 

"  It  has  been  so  ordered  that  the  greater  part  of 
my  travelling  in  Canada  has  been  accomplished  dur- 
ing the  first  month.  I  have  been  five  Sabbaths  in  the 
country.  Two  of  these  have  been  spent  in  Montreal, 
one  in  the  lower  province  in  certain  villages,  and 
two  in  the  upper  province — in  Toronto  and  Coburg. 
Almost  the  whole  of  my  time  now  will  be  devoted 
to  Montreal.  Mr.  Bonar  and  I  were  both  present  at 
the  Synod  which  met  at  Coburg  about  two  weeks 
ago.  I  think  our  labour  was  not  lost  in  going  there. 
M 


178  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  m. 

The  brethren  felt  our  presence  an  encouragement  to 
them  ;  and  they  need  to  be  encouraged.  The  min- 
isters are  few  and  far  between.  They  have  not  so 
many  opportunities  as  we  have  of  meeting  together 
and  strengthening  each  other's  hands.  1  believe 
when  I  am  visiting  and  trying  to  encourage  and 
cheer  the  hearts  of  those  who,  amid  many  difficul- 
ties, are  preaching  the  Gospel,  I  am  serving  the 
Lord  just  as  certainly  and  as  agreeably  to  His  will  as 
when  I  am  preaching  it  myself.  We  must  take  care 
not  to  be  partial  in  serving  the  Lord.  We  must  find 
out  the  Lord's  will  and  follow  the  Lord  fully.  How 
much  there  is  in  His  teaching  and  that  of  His  apos- 
tles about  brotherly  love  and  visiting  the  afflicted ! 
I  think  I  never  felt  more  sure  that  I  was  in  my  right 
place,  than  when  I  was  praying  with  and  speaking 
to  these  ministers,  met  together  for  a  day,  and  just 
about  to  be  scattered  for  another  year  so  far  apart 
over  this  mighty  land.  I  mention  this  to  you,  be- 
cause whatever  good  the  mission  has  done,  you  have 
a  hand  in  it.  I  think  I  had  your  willing  consent  to 
come  to  this  country.  If  so,  you  will  enjoy  the 
blessedness  of  giving.  Although  you  had  but  a 
mite  to  give,  if  you  have  cast  it  into  the  Lord's 
treasury,  you  will  not  lose  your  reward.  Lose  your 
reward!  the  sound  of  that  word  echoes  in  my  ear. 
Not  to  lose  a  thing  surely  implies  that  you  are 
caring  for  it  and  trying  to  keep  it.  Is  it  so  with 
you  %  Are  you  trying  to  get  benefit  from  my 
absence?     I  know  of  no  more  likely  way  that  the 


chap.  m.  HEARING  THE   WORD.  179 

Lord  would  take  to  bless  you,  than  by  the  word 
preached  by  so  many  from  different  places  on  the 
Sabbaths.  But  if  you  are  not  seeking  the  blessing 
and  expecting  it,  it  is  likely  you  will  not  get  it. 
Take  heed  how  you  hear.  Take  heed  whom  you 
hear.  If  you  go  to  hear  the  minister,  it  is  probable 
that  God  will  let  you  have  your  will,  that  He  will 
just  leave  the  minister  to  speak  to  you ;  and  leave 
you  to  be  pleased  or  displeased  with  the  minister. 
Go  you  up  with  David's  intent,  and  you  will  come 
away  with  David's  experience.  'I  will  hear  what 
God  the  Lord  will  speak  :  .  .  .  He  will  speak  peace 
unto  his  people/  Ps.  lxxxv.  8.  You  spend  a  portion 
of  time  and  care  every  Sabbath  morning  in  covering 
your  bodies  with  garments,  in  the  prospect  of  meet- 
ing with  men.  Spend  some  time,  too,  in  the  work 
of  uncovering  your  souls  in  the  prospect  of  meet- 
ing with  God.  During  these  weeks  that  you  enjoy 
the  ministrations  of  many  faithful  ministers  specially 
sent  to  you,  I  beseech  you  be  more  careful  than  ever 
in  the  previous  preparation.  Do  not  lose  all  by 
going  to  the  house  of  God  with  a  low  aim,  with  a 
worldly  mind,  with  a  carnal  appetite.  I  have  in  my 
eye  at  present  the  hour  before  you  go  to  church  on  the 
Sabbath  forenoon.  I  am  anxious  about  it.  The 
note  struck  then  is  likely  to  give  tone  to  your  spirits 
all  the  day.  Redeem  it.  Redeem  it  as  much  as  you 
can  from  family  duties.  Redeem  it  wholly  from 
'  plaiting  of  hair  and  putting  on  of  apparel.'  Re- 
deem it  wholly  from  vain  conversation.     How  very 


180  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  hi. 

much  the  power  of  the  minister's  preaching  depends 
on  the  preparation  of  the  hearer's  heart !  If  you 
come  up  to  the  Church  with  your  mind  crowded 
with  trifles — puffed  up  with  vanity, — what  can  these 
ministers  do  after  coming  so  far?  They  can  do 
nothing  but  beat  the  air.  What  else  can  they  do, 
if  there  be  nothing  before  them  but  air  to  beat  at? 
It  will  make  a  sound,  and  that  is  all.  I  fear  that 
many  of  my  dear  people  spend  more  time  on  the 
Sabbath  morning  in  putting  veils  on  their  faces  than 
in  taking  the  veil  off  their  hearts;  more  time  trying 
to  make  themselves  appear  before  men  what  they 
are  not,  than  in  trying  to  make  themselves  appear 
before  God  what  they  are.  If  I  find  a  little  reviving 
among  you  when  I  return,  I  think  it  will  be  in  this 
way.  If  it  ever  come,  I  think  the  history  of  it  will 
be,  not  that  the  arrows  of  the  Lord  had  grown  more 
sharp,  but  that  your  souls  had  come  up  more  humble 
and  simple,  and  naked  and  tender. 

"  But  I  am  far  away  from  my  proposed  narrative  of 
my  own  proceedings.  I  observed  that  I  was  deviat- 
ing from  my  original  topic,  but  I  did  not  try  to 
check  the  wanderings.  I  just  fastened  my  thoughts 
on  my  own  flock  at  home,  and  let  them  run  at 
random.  I  do  not  care  much  what  particular 
channel  my  thoughts  flow  in  when  I  speak  to  you, 
for  I  think  the  fountain  they  flow  from  is  love. 
However,  I  must  return  and  tell  you  something  of 
my  occupations  and  intentions. 

"  Well,  the  Synod  appointed  me  to  supply  the  place 


TORONTO.  181 


of  Dr.  Burns  at  Toronto,  on  Sabbath,  the  8th. 
Toronto  is  already  a  great  and  beautiful  city.  I 
think  Scotchmen  who  have  not  been  in  Canada  form 
an  inadequate  idea  of  its  present  and  prospective 
importance.  The  houses  in  Toronto  are  built  in 
the  style  of  the  houses  of  the  first-rate  English  or 
American  cities.  The  streets,  as  a  whole,  are  for 
regularity  and  breadth  finer  than  those  of  any  city 
I  have  seen.  There  is  one  street  that  already 
begins  to  vie  with  Trongate  or  Broadway,  and  if  its 
outline  were  as  well  filled  up,  I  think  it  would  excel 
them  both.  Yet  the  ends  of  these  magnificent  streets 
terminate  in  a  primeval  forest.  Just  suppose  that 
you  left  the  bustle  of  Trongate,  and  before  you 
reached  the  head  of  Hope  Street  you  stepped  into  a 
thick  native  forest  that  the  hand  of  man  had  never 
touched.  Not  that  the  surrounding  couDtry  is  all 
in  that  state,  for  the  greater  part  of  it  is  cultivated ; 
but  parts  of  it  are  not  yet  cleared,  and  many  of  the 
fields  close  by  the  city,  where  the  wood  has  been  cut, 
are  studded  yet  with  the  stumps  of  the  original  trees, 
standing  about  three  feet  high.  They  are  left  in 
this  state,  and  in  about  seven  years  the  roots  rot 
away.  I  mention  these  particulars,  to  let  you  see 
how  rapidly  civilisation  is  approaching  on  the  desert 
— how  magnificent  streets  are  stretching  out  their 
arms  before  the  astonished  forests  have  time  to  get 
out  of  the  way.  I  have  been  much  struck  with  this 
feature  of  the  country,  and  I  wish  to  put  it  plainly 
before  you.     A  lesson  regarding  our  own  duty  de- 


182  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  in. 

pends  on  it.  This  country  is  now  passing  through 
a  robust  infancy.  Quickly  and  imperceptibly  it 
will  shoot  into  manhood.  No  one  can  look  on  its 
mighty  rivers,  its  ocean  lakes,  its  vast  plains,  its 
brilliant  sky,  its  profuse  vegetation,  without  being 
convinced  that  it  is  destined  soon  to  rank  among 
the  greatest  nations  of  the  earth.  But  a  very  few 
years  and  the  matured  child  may  be  the  support 
of  the  decrepit  parent.  But  a  few  years,  and  we 
may  have  to  lean  on  Canada  more  than  Canada 
now  leans  on  us. 

"  The  state  and  prospects  of  this  country  present 
a  very  grave  question  as  to  our  duty.  We  must 
not  disregard  Canada.  We  must  not  give  it  the 
languid  attention  we  have  hitherto  done.  We 
must  not  let  it  grow  great  without  God.  I  can- 
not take  or  give  the  consolation  that  we  have 
the  field  to  ourselves.  The  field  is  possessed. 
The  operation  of  the  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ  in 
this  land,  even  already,  must  be  of  an  offensive 
rather  than  a  defensive  character.  It  is  not  to 
defend  our  position  against  an  enemy  invading; 
it  is  to  approach  and  storm  an  enemy  already 
encamped.  It  is  evident  that  Rome  is  making 
this  country  the  field  of  a  great  missionary  effort. 
The  size  and  splendour  of  the  chapels  now  rising 
in  the  towns  of  Canada  are  much  out  of  propor- 
tion to  the  present  number  of  Papists.  Popery  is 
not  only  doing  great  things  in  Canada  ;  it  expects 
great  things  from  Canada.     And  what  have  we  to 


chap.  in.  WILLIAM  BURNS.  183 

oppose  to  these  efforts  here  %  The  bulkiest  of  its 
opponents,  I  am  sure,  Popery  does  not  count  a 
very  formidable  rival.  It  is  a  drivelling  Prelacy, 
— that  by  apostolical  succession,  and  cocked  hats, 
and  mighty  processions  to  baptise  burying  grounds, 
would  fain  set  itself  up  as  a  rival  power  to  the 
Man  of  Sin.  It  is  a  vain  thing  to  fight  Popery 
with  its  own  weapons.  Popery  is  a  Goliath  who 
will  never  be  overcome  by  any  stripling  who  bor- 
rows his  armour  and  copies  his  plan.  The  Pope 
can  boast  a  longer  pedigree,  and  make  finer  pro- 
cessions, than  English  Prelatists ;  and  so  long  as 
they  lean  on  these  they  will  be  foiled  before  him. 
The  folly  of  this  method  may  be  seen  in  the  apposite 
wisdom  of  an  answer  given  by  William  Burns  to 
a  crowd  of  Papists  on  the  streets  of  Montreal.  Some 
one  from  the  crowd  cried  out,  '  And  will  we  get 
to  heaven  if  we  follow  you?'  'No,'  Mr.  Burns 
answered,  in  his  own  peculiarly  grave  tone ;  and 
there  was  a  long  pause.  A  Puseyite  must  have 
said  '  Yes.'  It  was  a  very  natural  question  for  a 
Papist  to  ask.  He  is  told  by  his  priests  that  he 
will  get  to  heaven  if  he  keep  close  by  them. 
And  when  he  hears  an  opposing  voice,  he  thinks 
it  must  be  a  rival  claim  set  up  by  another  man 
The  question  with  him  is,  Whether  can  this  priest 
or  that  one  carry  me  to  heaven.  Mr.  Burns  would 
not  enter  the  lists  on  these  terms.  He  held  up  to 
them  God's  Word,  and  warned  them  that  whom- 
soever  they   might   follow,  unless   they  were   born 


184  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  in. 

again  they  could  not  enter  the  kingdom  of  God. 
The  answer  of  Mr.  Burns  might  be  taken  as  a 
motto  for  Protestants.  The  priest  makes  a  more 
liberal  offer  to  the  carnal  mind,  and  so  it  is  likely 
he  will  have  more  adherents  in  this  land  than  we 
have,  until  the  Lord  reveal  His  own  arm  to  subdue 
His  enemies.  Meantime,  it  is  ours  to  occupy  till  He 
come.  Nay,  it  is  just  by  our  occupying  that  He 
will  come.  Let  us  be  encouraged  to  work,  for  it 
is  God  that  worketh.  I  have  spoken  of  the  deficient 
testimony  of  others,  not  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
gratulating ourselves.  Nay,  ours  is  the  greater 
sin  !  With  a  better  testimony  and  a  clearer  light, 
we  have  done  no  more  than  they.  Whether  we 
have  hid  our  talent  in  the  earth  or  not,  it  is 
certain  that  the  Church  of  Scotland  has  not  laid  out 
much  of  it  in  Canada.  The  Presbyterian  church 
in  this  city  has  neither  been  a  help  to  the  Church 
nor  a  rebuke  to  the  world.  We  have  allowed  a 
long  desolation.  We  should  be  willing  now  to 
make  some  efforts  to  build  it  up. 

"  I  had  said  that  on  Sabbath,  the  8th,  I  preached 
at  Toronto.  I  perceive  I  must  not  attempt  to 
give  a  narrative  on  paper.  I  must  reserve  that 
till  I  return.  Each  time  I  begin  I  am  turned 
away  from  it.  One  fact  announced  seems  just  a 
seed,  that  immediately  swells  upon  me  into  a  crowd 
of  reflections,  which,  if  not  great,  are  at  least 
sufficient  to  occupy  and  overwhelm  my  mind ;  I 
must,    therefore,    desist.      I    preached   at    Toronto, 


TRA  YELLING.  185 


then  spent  four  days  and  a  half  visiting  Niagara, 
and  some  American  cities  near  the  lakes,  and  re- 
turning to  Coburg.  Beginning  on  Saturday,  I 
preached  on  six  successive  days,  from  one  to  three 
times  each  day,  with  some  long  and  pretty  rough 
journeys  between.  Arrived  at  Montreal  on  the 
next  Saturday.  I  preached  three  times,  and  ad- 
dressed the  Sabbath-school  on  Sabbath.  These 
nine  days  were  the  first  trial  of  work  that  I  have 
have  had  in  the  country ;  and  I  am  very  glad  to 
be  able  to  say  that,  notwithstanding  the  greater 
heat  of  this  country,  I  was  stronger  and  more 
buoyant  after  it,  than  I  think  I  would  have  been 
at  home;  indeed,  perfectly  well.  During  the  period 
of  little  more  than  two  weeks  of  our  absence,  we 
travelled  about  twelve  hundred  miles,  in  many  kinds 
of  conveyances, — some  slow,  some  very  quick ;  by 
night  and  day,  by  land  and  water,  and  no  evil 
befel  us.  I  carried  my  wife  with  me  all  that  jour- 
ney, and  we  enjoyed  greatly  the  sight  of  so  much 
of  this  great  earth.  We  never  took  a  cold ;  never 
slipped  a  foot ;  never  missed  an  appointment ; 
never  lost  a  meeting ;  always  got  to  the  appointed 
place  in  time,  and  always  in  perfect  health.  Surely, 
the  hairs  of  our  head  are  all  numbered.  May  I 
ask  you  to  give  thanks  on  our  behalf.  I  have 
seen  a  part  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Assembly, 
and  have  been  delighted  with  them  so  far  as  I 
have  seen.  Meantime,  farewell.  I  commend  you 
to  God,  and  the  word  of  His  grace. 


186  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  m. 

"  I  am,  though  absent  now,  and  unworthy  al- 
ways, your  pastor,  Wm.  ARNOT." 

To  the  Congregation  ot  St.  Peter's. 

"Montreal,  12th  Sept.  1845. 

•'  My  Dear  Friends, — "  I  was  prevented,  by  press- 
ing duty  here,  from  writing  to  you  by  last  mail;  and, 
as  I  expect  to  be  in  Glasgow  just  two  weeks  after 
this  letter,  I  do  not  think  it  necessary  to  write  now  at 
great  length.  In  my  last  communication,  I  explained 
that  I  would  probably  remain  longer  in  this  country 
than  I  originally  intended.  I  can  now  speak  de- 
finitely as  to  the  time  of  my  return.  I  intend  to 
sail  from  Boston  on  the  1st  of  October.  I  shall 
probably  arrive  in  Glasgow  about  the  15th  or  16th 
of  that  month  ;  and,  unless  some  unusual  delay 
take  place,  I  hope  to  preach  to  you  on  Sabbath 
the  20th.  So  we  speak  ;  but  there  is  a  wide  sea 
between  us,  and  we  know  not  what  a  day  may 
bring  forth.  Our  times,  and  place  too,  are  in 
God's  hands ;    let  us  leave  them  there. 

"  I  had  no  difficulty  in  determining  to  lengthen 
my  time  here.  The  more  I  saw  of  this  place,  the 
more  I  felt  its  importance.  Had  it  not  been  the 
approach  of  the  Communion  season,  it  is  probable 
I  might  have  been  induced  to  stay  two  weeks 
longer.  It  seemed,  however,  clearly  to  be  my  duty 
to  endeavour  to  be  with  you  at  that  time. 

"  Those  who  desire  to  be  admitted  to  the  Lord's 


ohs p.  tit.         APPROACHING  COMMUNION.  187 

table  for  the  first  time,  should  not  delay  their  ap- 
plication on  account  of  my  absence.  The  elders 
will  be  ready  to  examine  those  who  apply ;  and 
I  expect  to  have  at  least  one  week  to  spend  in 
meeting  with  them  after  I  return.  I  would  be  un- 
willing to  receive  new  applications  after  that  time. 
I  should  like  to  devote  myself  to  those  whom  the 
session  shall  report  as  having  actually  applied. 
Those  who  at  last  Communion  were  requested  to 
delay,  should  also  make  their  application,  that  the 
whole  of  those  who  wish  to  join  now  may  be  put 
into  my  hands  at  the  first. 

"  In  the  more  extended  view  which  this  journey 
has  afforded,  I  think  I  have  seen  more  clearly  some 
of  the  things  that  concern  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 
I  have  seen  some  things  that  hinder,  and  some 
things  that  hasten,  the  coming  of  the  kingdom. 
But  the  lesson  which  has  been  most  deeply  im- 
pressed on  my  mind,  is  one  regarding  admission  to 
the  communion  of  the  church.  The  communion, 
especially  of  a  somewhat  revived  church,  is  a 
dreadful  place.  It  is  a  strong  position  on  the 
boundary  line  between  two  hostile  kingdoms,  where 
the  contending  powers  have  often  met.  In  that 
place  the  saved  seal  again  their  covenant  with  God 
their  Saviour  ;  in  that  place,  too,  the  God  of  this 
world  welds  together  more  densely  the  links  of  that 
chain  whereby  he  leads  captive  the  lost.  I  beseech 
you,  take  heed  how  you  go  up  thither.  The  king- 
dom of  God  is  there ;  but  except  a  man  be  born 


188  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  in. 

again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.  Not 
seeing  it,  he  will  stumble  ;  and  falling  on  that  rock, 
he  will  be  broken.  I  beseech  you  all,  dear  brethren, 
examine  yourselves  whether  ye  be  in  the  faith.  Be 
honest  with  yourselves.  Lie  not  unto  God.  We 
must  be  more  faithful  to  each  other.  We  must  not 
lull  each  other  to  sleep  in  a  state  of  condemnation. 
It  is  a  poor  love  to  a  neighbour  which  will  not 
encounter  the  pain  of  awakening  him  from  a  false 
peace,  for  the  purpose  of  saving  his  soul.  Here,  at 
this  distance,  it  is  an  anxious  thought  to  me  how 
many  of  you  may  be  going  unconverted  to  aggra- 
vate your  condemnation  at  the  table  of  the  Lord. 
I  cannot  make  any  effort  to  teach  you  now.  I  can 
only  repeat  the  warning  cry  you  have  so  often 
heard  before.  If  you  have  no  marks  of  life  in  you, 
do  not  provoke  God  by  placing  yourselves  among 
the  living. 

"  But,  notwithstanding  all  these  fears,  believers 
should  come  with  joy  to  draw  water  out  of  the 
wells  of  salvation  that  are  opened  in  the  ordin- 
ances. As  it  is  a  sin  to  trust  in  your  own  righteous- 
ness, it  is  also  a  sin  not  to  trust  in  the  righteousness 
of  Christ.  The  very  sight  of  your  unworthiness 
may  contribute  to  your  joy,  by  making  you  lean 
with  more  vigorous  desire — more  ardent  expecta- 
tion on  the  Lord. 

"  But  I  feel  myself  wholly  unable  to  write  out 
consolation  for  you.  I  suppose  the  expectation  of 
meeting   you   so  soon  is  possessing   my  mind  and 


chap.  in.  FAREWELL  TO  CANADA.  189 

impeding  my  thoughts.  I  am  more  straightened 
in  this  attempt  to  write  to  you  than  I  was  on  for- 
mer occasions.  You  will  accept  of  these  lines  as  an 
acknowledgment  of  what  is  due  to  you,  not  as  pay- 
ment. If  through  your  prayers  I  be  brought  home 
again,  and  if  through  the  same  means  my  mind  is 
enlightened  and  my  heart  enlarged,  I  shall  soon 
have  a  better  opportunity  of  addressing  you  on 
these  subjects.  My  work  here  has  been  constant. 
Though  attended  with  some  difficulties,  it  has  been 
very  pleasing.  I  have  great  encouragement.  I 
begin  to  gather  the  fruit  resulting  from  the  seed 
sown  by  Mr.  Burns  and  Mr.  Bonar.  I  meet  with  a 
greater  number  of  instances  of  convictions  begun, 
and  former  convictions  quickened  into  life,  than 
I  was  wont  to  meet  at  home.  This  makes  my 
residence  here  very  pleasant.  I  have  never  once 
wearied. 

"  I  have  been  often  interrupted  in  writing  these 
lines.  As  the  time  of  my  departure  draws  near,  the 
engagements  seem  to  multiply.  I  am  pressed  be- 
tween conflicting  emotions — sadness  at  leaving  a 
most  interesting  people,  whom  I  have  learned  to 
love,  and  gladness  at  the  near  prospect  of  meeting 
with  you.  I  fear  what  I  have  written  is  scareely 
coherent ;  nevertheless  I  send  it,  for  I  have  nothing- 
else  to  send. 

"  I  suppose  when  you  hear  this  read,  we  will  be 
on  the  sea.  You  will  pray  for  us.  Again,  farewell. 
— Yours  in  abiding  love,  Wm.  Arnot." 


190  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  m. 

His  short  ministry  at  Montreal  was  pleasant  to 
himself,  and  profitable  to  the  congregation  over 
which  he  presided.  There  are  many  living  yet 
who  remember  it,  and  speak  of  it  with  gratitude. 

He  left  for  home  in  the  end  of  September.  On 
the  15th  he  writes  in  his  journal — 

"  Time  of  our  departure  settled  now — this  day 
week  at  9  A.M.  I  like  to  be  here,  and  I  also  like  to 
be  at  home.  I  am  very  mercifully  dealt  with.  The 
duties  to  which  I  am  called  are  very  pleasant.  How 
few  sacrifices  I  am  called  to  make.  Alas !  that 
this  should  make  me  more  unwilling  to  make  the 
few  that  may  be  demanded." 

The  next  entry  is  dated  26th  September. 

"On  Monday,  the  22nd,  we  left  Montreal,  the 
scene  of  many  enjoyments,  the  home  of  many 
friends  now  dear,  the  place  of  many  pleasant  recol- 
lections." 

Then  followed  another  journey  through  the 
States,  which  he  says  was  "so  rapid,  that  we 
have  not  had  time  to  see  the  objects  of  interest, 
far  less  to  write  a  description  of  them."  In  the 
course  of  it  they  visited  Washington,  Baltimore, 
and  Philadelphia,  returning  by  New  York  to  Bos- 
ton, from  which  they  sailed  for  home  on  the  30th 
of  September. 

The  interest  which  he  had  learned  to  take  in 
Canada  and  the  state  of  religion  there,  was  not 
lessened  by  absence.  One  of  his  friends  in  Mon- 
treal,   Mr.   Dougal,   was   then   about   to   commence 


chap.  in.  THE  MONTREAL  WITNESS.  191 

a  newspaper,  with  the  distinct  intention  of  improv- 
ing the  moral  and  religious  tone  of  the  country, 
though  it  was  not  exclusively  what  would  be  called 
a  religious  paper. 1 

Mr.  Arnot  warmly  encouraged  him  in  his  plans, 
and  promised  what  help  he  could  give — a  promise 
which  he  redeemed  on  his  return  by  sending,  from 
time  to  time,  letters  giving  notes  of  ecclesiastical 
and  popular  matters  in  the  old  country.  Here  is 
the  first  of  these. 


To  the  Editor  op  the  «  Montreal  Witness.' 

"  Glasgow,  1st  November  1846. 
•'  My  dear  Sir, — I  am  delighted  to  learn  that  you 
propose  to  give  a  '  witness  to  Canada.  Your  work 
will  be  difficult,  but  your  help  is  mighty.  You  know 
of  whom,  and  by  whom,  and  to  whom  you  are  to 
bear  witness.  You  must  witness  of  Christ  by  the 
Spirit  to  the  world.  All  these  you  learn  from  the 
words  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  the  men  of  Galilee, 
Acts  i.  8.  Of  whom  %  '  Ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto 
me.'  By  whom?  '  Ye  shall  receive  power  after 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you,  and  ye  shall 
be  witnesses,'  etc.  To  whom?  *Ye  shall  be  wit- 
nesses    .     .     .     .    in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria,  and 

1  This  paper,  the  Montreal  Witness,  is  still  continued  under  the  same 
management,  and  has  for  long  had  the  most  extensive  circulation  of  any 
newspaper  in  the  Dominion. 


192  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.        chap.  hi. 

unto  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth.'  However 
gloomy  may  be  the  present  aspect  of  affairs,  you 
are  on  the  winning  side.  You  bear  witness  of  The 
Truth.    The  Truth  will  prevail. 

"  I  trust  you  will  be  enabled  to  go  through  with 
the  principles  you  have  announced ;  that  the 
politics  of  your  journal  will  be  the  politics  of  that 
kingdom  which  is  in,  but  not  of  the  world ;  and 
that  the  side  you  take  will  be  '  the  Lord's  side.' 
In  prosecuting  your  labours,  you  propose  not  only 
to  '  fear  God,'  but  also  to  '  regard  man.'  I  would 
hail  with  delight  a  newspaper  that  should  keep 
clear  of  the  low  jargon  of  Canadian  party  politics, 
and  plead,  with  good  sense  and  upright  inten- 
tion, for  the  good  of  the  people,  both  in  time  and 
eternity. 

" Such   a    race    of    men    hastening 

to  be  rich  has  never  been  known  in  the  country,  as 
is  going  on  at  the  present  hour.  Men  of  all  ranks 
and  all  professions  are  dancing  round  in  a  sort  of 
masquerade  of  speculation,  until  even  by  their  own 
confession  they  grow  giddy,  and  know  not  how 
soon  they  may  fall.  Even  those  who  are  deepest 
in  the  game  wonder  at  the  lengths  to  which  them- 
selves have  run,  and  freely  speak  of  a  crisis  that 
must  soon  come.  Not  more  devoted  to  the  world 
and  reckless  of  God  could  have  been  the  men  to 
whom  Noah  preached. 

"  God  is  holding  His  judgment  over  the  heedless 
multitude.     Already  He  touches  us  ;  but  the  touch 


chap.  in.    MINISTERS  WANTED  FOR  CANADA.      193 

is  light ;  as  if  be  would  warn  and  not  destroy.  A 
portion  of  the  people's  food  is  tainted.  As  yet  there 
is  not  fear  of  immediate  famine,  but  enough  has 
been  done  to  remind  us  how  easily  the  God  whom 
we  forget  could  break  the  staff  of  bread  in  all  our 
borders.  A  considerable  panic  has  already  spread. 
The  partial  failure  of  the  crop  has  attracted  some 
part  of  the  people's  attention  from  their  railway 
shares ;  but  the  judgment  alone  will  not  teach  them 
righteousness." 

He  also  did  his  utmost  to  interest  others  in 
behalf  of  the  Free  Church  in  Canada,  and  to 
procure  ministers  and  teachers  for  temporary  or 
permanent  service  there.  The  following  is  one 
of  many  letters  on  the  same  subject  written  about 
this  time. 

To  the  Countess  of  Effingham. 

"Glasgow,  8th  December  1845. 

"  Dear  Lady  Effingham, — 

".  .  .  .  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  have 
some  sympathy  for  Canada.  But  I  fear  you  are 
scarcely  inclined  to  give  it  fair  play.  I  confess  I 
would  like  to  see  a  considerable  proportion  of  the 
ministers  who  visit  it  returning  to  settle.  A  call 
from  London,  Canada  West,  has  already  come  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Glasgow  for  Mr.  Somerville.  Mr. 
Bonar  has  been  considering  for  many  months  his 
call  to  Montreal.  I  fear  he  will  decide  against  it. 
As  for  me,  I  have  not  felt  it  my  duty  to  consider  it 

N 


194  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.        chap.  m. 

much  ;  it  seems  clear  that  I  have  already  a  field 
greater  than  my  gifts,  while  it  is  as  clear  that  Mr. 
Bonar  has  gifts  greater  than  his  field.  With  the 
December  steamer  three  ministers  jailed  to  spend 
the  winter  in  Canada — Mr.  Begg,  Mr.  Stevenson  of 
Tullibody,  and  Mr.  M'Tavish,  a  Gaelic  minister.  I 
believe  there  is  some  prospect  that  the  two  last — 
both  young  men — may  be  inclined  to  stay. 

"  I  am  concerned  for  the  French  Papists  in  Canada 
as  much  as  for  the  Scotch  Presbyterians.  I  fear  we 
have  too  much  neglected  them.  There  are  in  Lower 
Canada  between  five  and  six  hundred  thousand 
French  in  the  lowest,  most  abject  Popery.  Their 
idolatry  is  the  established  religion  of  the  province. 
Every  parish  has  its  church  and  endowed  priest, 
supported  by  the  tithes,  as  in  England." 


CHAPTER    IV. 

rpHE  first  event  of  the  following  year  (1846)  was 
a  call  which  he  received  to  the  Free  Church  in 
Lerwick,  Shetland. 

It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  he  should  see  his 
way  to  leave  a  large  and  affectionate  congregation 
in  a  large  city,  for  a  sphere  of  usefulness  so  much 
smaller ;  and  yet  the  proposal  was  not  cast  aside  as 
unworthy  of  consideration.  He  writes  to  Mr.  Ban- 
natyne,  through  whom  the  communication  had  been 
made  to   him  : — "  I  was  not  a  little   impressed   by 

your  appeal I  have  no  right  to  say  I 

will  not  go  to  Shetland.  A  soldier  has  no  right  to 
choose  the  place  of  the  battle-field  where  he  will 
stand  aud  fight.  He  would  not  be  a  good  soldier  if 
he  should  demand  that  liberty.  'Follow  the  Lamb 
whithersoever  he  goeth'  is  our  rule,  ....  As 
the  temporal  advantage  of  one  place  was  not  suffi- 
cient to  make  me  leave  my  people  formerly  when  it 
appeared  the  Lord's  will  to  keep  me  among  them, 
so   the    temporal   disadvantage     of    another    place 

195 


196  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  A R NOT.        chap.  iv. 

should  not  keep  me  from  leaving  them,  if  it  ap- 
peared that  the  will  of  the  Lord  was  pointing  to  a 
removal." 

It  was  his  habit  in  all  such  matters  to  look  care- 
fully for  indications  of  God's  guiding  hand  in  every 
circumstance  of  the  case,  however  apparently  trivial, 
and  to  walk  steadfastly  in  the  course  thus  pointed 
out,  whether  it  were  agreeable  to  his  own  inclina- 
tion or  the  reverse. 

In  August  of  this  year  he  visited  London  for  the 
first  time.  His  friend,  Dr.  Hamilton,  of  Regent 
Square,  was  abroad  in  ill  health,  and  the  session  in 
his  absence  applied  to  Mr.  Arnot  to  preside  at  the 
Communion  on  the  first  Sabbath  of  August,  and 
preach  for  two  or  three  Sabbaths  thereafter.  The 
notice  was  short,  and  he  had  already  made  other 
engagements  for  some  of  the  days  required  ;  but  so 
strong  was  his  impression  of  their  necessity,  and  his 
desire  to  help  them,  that  he  was  at  some  trouble  to 
obtain  release  from  these.  Inclination  and  duty 
were  this  time  drawing  in  the  same  direction.  He 
writes  : — "  Besides  the  privilege  of  doing  the  work  of 
the  Lord,  I  expect  some  pleasure  in  the  thought  that 
I  shall  have  an  opportunity  of  showing  a  kindness  to 
one  of  the  dearest  friends  of  my  earlier  days." 

DIARY. 

"  19th  September  1846. — Spent  three  weeks  in 
London ;    great    heat   all    the   time.      I    was    often 


chap.  iv.  FIRST  VISIT  TO  LONDON.  197 

feeble,  but  in  the  preaching  had  considerable  freedom, 
and  the  teaching  seemed  to  be  valued  by  many. 

"  Had  the  privilege,  while  in  London,  of  meeting 
with  the  Duchess  of  Gordon,  on  her  way  with  Dr. 
Keith  to  meet  the  Archduchess  of  Austria  at  her 
sister's,  the  Queen  of  Wurtemberg,  on  the  concerns 
of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Hungary.  At  morning 
worship  I  had  the  opportunity  of  commending  them 
to  the  grace  of  God.  Very  remarkable  providence 
in  the  meeting  of  Dr.  Keith  with  the  Austrian  prin- 
cess, and  the  good  that  has  come  out  of  it  to  her, 
and  through  her  to  her  benighted  country." 

Under  the  same  date  in  his  journal  he  writes : — 
"  I  have  been  entertaining  the  thought  of  giving  up 
the  ministry  for  a  work  of  a  similar  nature — the 
teaching  of  young  men  preparing  for  the  ministry 
at  Toronto.  I  think  that  in  some  respects  my  gifts 
lie  in  that  direction." 

Shortly  before  this  he  had  been  asked  to  return 
to  Canada  for  a  time  to  do  some  work  in  the  Theo- 
logical College  at  Toronto ;  but  this  proposal  he  did 
not  for  a  moment  entertain.  He  felt  that  to  leave 
his  congregation  again  before  he  had  been  a  year  at 
home,  would  be  to  break  altogether  the  tie  which 
bound  him  to  them.  He  accordingly  wrote  imme- 
diately declining  to  go,  but  expressing  great  in- 
terest in  the  work,  and  suggesting  another,  who  he 
thought  would  do  it  well.  Very  soon  afterwards 
another  request  reached  him  from  the  same  quarter ; 


198  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  iv. 

but  this  time  it  was  that  he  should  accept  a  per- 
manent appointment  as  professor  there.  His  views 
on  the  subject  are  more  fully  expressed  in  a  letter 
to  Mr.  Bonar,  then  Convener  of  the  Colonial  Com- 
mittee. 

To  Rev.  John  Bonar.  Convener,  Colonial  Committee, 
Free  Church. 

"  Glasgow,  13th  Nov.  1846. 

"  My  dear  Bonar, — My  pen  and  ink  seem  by  long 
habit  to  have  become  constituent  parts  of  my  think- 
ing apparatus.  I  am  scarcely  capable  of  any  sus- 
tained thought  on  a  complicated  subject,  apart  from 
the  operation  of  speaking  or  writing  it.  Forth  from 
the  fountain  the  stream  will  not  flow,  if  there  be  not 
an  orifice  in  the  shape  of  either  pen  or  tongue 
through  which  the  proceeds  may  escape.  I  am 
labouring  painfully  ever  since  I  saw  you  anent  this 
translation  to  Canada.  I  want  some  relief;  hence 
this  letter. 

"  I  am  still  of  the  same  opinion  as  when  I  saw  you 
— against  going  to  Canada ;  but  the  going  to  Canada 
won't  go  out  of  my  head.  I  bid  it  go  away.  It 
goes  sulkily ;  and  in  half-an-hour  I  discover  it  is 
back  again — entering  always  unperceived.  It  seems 
to  have  very  appropriately  adopted  a  back-wood 
custom;  it  just  comes  in  and  squats.  My  opinion  is 
that  the  appointment  by  the  Canadian  Commission 
should  not  be  transmitted  to  this  Presbytery,  and 
that  if  transmitted,  it  will  just  keep  me   and  my 


chap.  iv.  CALL  TO  TORONTO.  199 

people  fervescent  for  a  month  or  two,  and  then 
leave  us  all  where  we  were,  and  Toronto  without  a 
professor.  At  the  same  time,  my  mind  seems  brought 
over  to  that  side  by  a  very  narrow  balance  of  the 
scale — as  narrow  as  grocers  give  when  selling  tea. 
And  what  has  been  cast  in  to  make  it  weigh,  I  can- 
not undertake  to  tell.  How  much  of  my  new  house, 
and  my  relatives,  and  my  dear  good  ladies  in  the 
congregation  who  '  dawt '  me  a  little,  and  how  much 
of  the  fear  of  pain  personal  to  be  endured  in  the 
separation, — how  much  of  these  ingredients  go  into 
the  scale,  and  how  much  of  them  are  genuine  good 
articles,  I  cannot  pretend  to  determine.  All  this 
makes  me  afraid  to  say  to  you,  '  Thou  shalt  not 
bring  this  matter  forward.'  Of  that  you  must  judge 
for  yourself. 

"  Of  the  three  elements — (1)  going  to  Toronto, 
(2)  leaving  Scotland,  (3)  separation  from  the  con- 
gregation— I  think  I  could  do  the  first  easily,  the 
second  with  difficulty,  the  third  not  at  all.  This, 
however,  must  refer,  I  suppose,  to  my  own  feeling. 
I  suppose,  looking  to  the  things  themselves,  apart 
from  my  personal  likings,  the  order  should  just  be 
inverted."     .... 

Then  follows  a  detailed  list  of  reasons  for  and 
against,  arranged  under  these  three  heads  : — 

"  The  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter  is, — do  not 
suppress  the  documents  because  I  requested  you  to 
do  so.     If  you  see  sufficient  ground  for  quashing  it, 


200  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  iv. 

well ;  but  let  these  grounds  be  independent  of  my 
request  to  you." 

Sufficient  ground  would  seem  to  have  been  found, 
for  the  matter  went  no  further. 

Meanwhile  the  blessing  of  the  Lord  is  attending 
his  ministry  at  home  in  rich  measure ;  but,  instead 
of  being  the  occasion  of  self-complacence  and  pride, 
this  only  humbles  him  the  more  in  his  own  eyes. 
He  does  not  begin  to  think  his  own  strength  is 
growing,  but  observes  in  adoring  wonder  how  the 
Lord's  strength  is  made  perfect  in  his  weakness. 

DIARY. 

"  September  1846. — Several  young  persons  under 
serious  concern.  Surely  God  is  offering  to  do  some- 
thing for  us.  I  have  got  into  the  way  of  thinking 
that  success  and  revivals  must  happen  in  the  hands 
of  other  more  devoted  and  spiritually  minded  minis- 
ters. I  have  concluded  tacitly  that  there  will  be  little 
or  no  fruit  seen  under  my  ministry,  because  I  know 
it  to  be  so  dead  within,  whatever  appearance  there 
may  be  sometimes  of  liveliness.  But  I  must  beware 
of  this.  It  may  please  Him  to  work  here,  not  because 
of  aught  good  in  my  ministry,  but,  in  spite  of  all  its 
evil,  to  the  praise  of  His  own  sovereign  grace. 

"  Died  on  Tuesday,  the  22nd,  John  Liddell,  a 
young  man,  member  of  the  church ;  departed  in 
peace,  for  his  eyes  had  seen  the  salvation  of  God. 
Quiet  and  reserved  naturally ;  but  great  enlarge- 
ment during  the  last  ten  days.     Went  to  Bothwell 


chap.  iv.  CONGREGATIONAL  WORK.  201 

to  visit  him.  He  expressed  very  great  joy  at  seeing 
me.  Said  to  his  sisters  afterwards  that  he  never 
so  ardently  desired  to  see  the  face  of  a  man.  He 
seemed  to  have  derived  much  benefit  from  my  public 
instructions  ;  and  in  his  dying  days  got  help, 
especially  in  the  first  visit  at  Bothwell.  What 
I  said  to  explain  the  freeness  of  pardon,  the  com- 
pleteness of  salvation,  seemed  to  be  the  means  of 
giving  him  much  light.  I  record  this  for  en- 
couragement. 

"Also  to-day  conversation  with  Mrs.  Allan,  another 
notable  example  held  up  to  me  that  the  Lord  will 
not  allow  the  imperfections  of  my  ministry  to  hinder 
the  power  of  His  word.  She  is  a  burning  light. 
The  Lord  keep  her. 

"I  see  I  have  committed  two  faults.  1st,  I  have 
not  in  a  real  and  lively  way  lamented  after  success 
withheld.  2nd,  I  have  not  observed  and  acknow- 
ledged the  success  given.  I  must  number  up  His 
mercies.  I  must  not  despise  nor  overlook  anything 
that  He  hath  wrought." 

In  a  marked  way  this  spirit  of  humility  strength- 
ened his  hands,  and  promoted  the  work  of  the  Lord 
in  his  Session  and  Deacons'  Court.  He  made  himself 
not  only  as  one  of  them,  but  as  one  of  the  least  of 
them:  never  prominently  advanced  his  own  opinions, 
or  insisted  on  Ins  own  plans ;  and  in  cases  of  differ- 
ence of  opinion,  where  no  principle  was  involved,  he 
was  always  the  first  to  give  way.     Many  of  his  old 


202  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  iv. 

office-bearers  have  since  bis  deatb  spoken  of  these 
meetings,  and  the  spirit  that  characterised  them. 
One  of  them  writes: — 

"  The  meetings  of  the  Deacons'  Court  were 
always  very  pleasant.  No  one  ever  tried  to  push 
his  own  opinions  on  the  Court  if  they  were  not 
concurred  in.  A  vote  was  never  taken.  Mr.  Arnot 
always  formed  and  stated  his  own  judgment  on  the 
business  that  came  up,  but  never  insisted  on  his 
opinion  being  adopted  if  the  members  differed  from 
him.  An  instance  of  this  occurred  when  I  first 
joined  the  Court,  which  fixed  itself  in  my  memory. 
Mr.  Arnot  proposed  that  the  lower  schoolroom 
should  be  divided  into  two,  and  seemed  very 
desirous  that  the  proposal  should  be  adopted ;  but 
on  its  being  objected  to  by  some  of  the  members, 
he  at  once  withdrew  it,  though  evidently  dis- 
appointed. Some  years  afterwards,  a  similar  pro- 
posal was  made  by  one  of  the  members,  and,  after 
some  conversation,  adopted.  I  was  sitting  at  the 
table  beside  Mr.  Arnot,  and  as  the  conversation 
went  on,  I  whispered  to  him,  '  Didn't  you  make  that 
proposal  long  ago  ? '  He  replied  also  in  a  whisper, 
'  Whisht !  whisht !  not  a  word  about  that.'  " 

Such  a  spirit  was  infectious.  Others  caught  the 
same  tone,  and  the  members  of  the  Court  were  as 
brothers  one  with  another.  Another  consequence 
was  that  they  were  noted  in  the  city  fur  .their 
energy  and  Christian  usefulness. 


chap.  iv.  THE  DEACONS'  COURT.  203 

The  following  letter  was  addressed  by  Mr.  Arnot, 
on  behalf  of  the  office-bearers,  to  one  of  their 
number  about  to  go  abroad  on  account  of  failing 
health. 

To  John  Hutcheson,  Esq. 

"  Glasgow,  3d  September  1846. 

"  My  dear  Brother, — At  the  ordinary  meeting  of 
the  Deacons'  Court  this  evening,  after  some  conver- 
sation on  your  affliction,  and  the  journey  you  have 
felt  it  your  duty  to  undertake,  it  was  resolved  that 
we  should  make  mention  of  you  in  our  prayer 
together,  and  that  I  should  write,  in  the  name  of  all, 
to  convey  to  you  the  expression  of  our  sympathy. 

"  We  endeavoured  all  in  one  to  cast  your  care 
upon  the  Lord,  and  I  feel  there  is  scarcely  any  more 
that  we  can  do.  If  we  knew  our  privilege  aright,  to 
speak  for  you  would  be  better  than  to  speak  to  you. 
And  yet  there  is  something  kindly  and  comforting  in 
the  sympathy  of  fellow-men,  especially  if  they  be 
fellow-believers.  It  is  a  something  which  we  ought 
not  to  despise.  The  express  command  of  God  gives 
it  a  high  place  :  '  Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens,  and 
so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ ; '  '  If  one  member  suffers, 
all  the  members  suffer  with  it.'  These,  and  many 
such,  show  that  the  Head  counts  much  on  the 
mutual  love  of  the  members. 

"I  sit  with  my  pen  in  my  hand  over  this  sheet, 
and  try  to  realise  your  position — to  put  myself  in 
your  place  ;  but  it  will  not  do.    It  is  only  the  shadow 


201  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  iv. 

of  the  grief  that  flits  before  my  imagination,  but  the 
heavy  substance  lies  on  you.  I  can  conceive  how 
your  own  illness  is  like  a  sore  that  might  for  a  time 
not  be  acutely  painful ;  but  the  memory  of  your 
absent  wife  and  children  will  tear  it  up  and  make  it 
bleed.  But,  my  dear  sir,  they  that  are  whole  need 
not  a  physician.  To  be  '  whole  '  in  body,  and  family, 
and  business,  does  much  to  keep  the  heart  whole 
when  it  should  be  broken ;  and  the  whole  heart 
pants  not  for  the  physician's  healing.  I  am  per- 
suaded that  you  can  bear  testimony  to  the  praise  of 
God,  that  He  has  wounded  in  order  to  heal;  that 
the  perishing  of  the  outward  man  has  been  made 
the  occasion  of  renewing  somewhat  the  inner  man. 
There  is  such  a  thing  as  rejoicing  in  tribulation ;  not 
only  rejoicing  in  spite  of  the  trouble,  but  even  a  joy 
because  of  the  trouble.  Not  that  the  trouble  is  all 
joy,  but  it  affords  the  opportunity  of  an  enjoyment 
to  which  otherwise  the  soul  would  be  a  stranger. 
The  casting  of  the  soul  on  God  in  Christ,  if  it  be 
really  done,  is  more  sweet  in  the  time  of  trouble 
than  in  the  time  of  prosperity.  Surely  it  is  when  He 
has  '  rejected  your  confidence,'  that  you  may  best 
feel  the  value  of  being  stayed  on  Himself,  if  indeed 
your  soul  be  resting  there. 

'•At  the  same  time,  I  think  a  poor  invalid,  looking 
unto  Jesus,  should  not  be  cast  down  by  the  want  of 
a  happy  frame.  Knowing  that  in  Christ  all  fulness 
dwells,  let  him  strive  to  reach  such  a  frame,  but  let 
him   not  make  his  hope  dependent  on  reaching  it. 


chap.  iv.  LETTER  TO  AN  INVALID.  205  ' 

'  Why  art  thou  then  cast  down,  oh  my  soul  ?  I  shall 
yet  praise  him.'  The  infirmities  of  the  body,  and 
heavy  cares  pressing  on  an  enfeebled  mind,  may  for 
a  long  time  cloud  the  believer's  perception  of  his 
interest  in  Christ,  but  they  cannot  destroy  its  exist- 
ence. The  rule  is,  continue  looking  unto  Jesus ; 
follow  on  to  know  the  Lord.  Even  when  you  can- 
not joyfully  say  'the  Lord  is  my  portion,'  yet  say 
your  soul  will  have  no  other.  '  Whom  have  I  but 
thee?'  is  as  safe  a  state,  though  not  so  joyful,  as 
'  /  have  thee? 

"And  now,  my  dear  sir,  I  commend  you  to  God 
and  the  word  of  His  grace.  We  shall  make  mention 
of  you  in  our  prayers  on  Sabbath.  I  did  not  expect 
to  be  able  by  writing  to  give  you  anything,  but  the 
mere  fact  that  I  do  write  in  the  name  of  myself  and 
the  brethren  may  be  pleasing  and  profitable  to  you. 
The  sympathy  —  surely  it  is  worth  giving,  even 
when  we  have  no  more,  for  the  Lord  commands  us  to 
give  it. 

"  Enclosed  is  a  note  to  Mr.  Nairn,  which  I  forgot 
to  give  you  before  you  left. — I  am  yours, 

William  Arxot." 

The  next  is  a  letter  of  kindly  Christian  advice  and 
encouragement  to  a  young  man,  the  son  of  one  of 
the  elders,  who  had  just  left  his  father's  house  to 
begin  life  in  London. 


206  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT. 


To  Mr.  Ralph  Langlands. 

"  24th  Sept.  1846. 

"  My  dear  Ralph, — I  write  for  the  purpose  of 
explaining  to  you  how  I  came  to  leave  London  with- 
out calling.  I  think  I  am  safe  in  saying  it  was  the 
power,  rather  than  the  will,  that  was  wanting.  One 
day,  when  in  the  City,  and  having  a  little  time  on 
my  hands,  I  intended  to  find  you;  but  I  could  not 
remember  Friday  Street,  though  you  had  given  me 
all  London.  Either  I  had  not  taken  a  note  of  it,  or 
had  afterwards  lost  it ;  then  I  found  it  necessary  to 
come  off  suddenly,  two  days  earlier  than  I  had 
expected.  Upon  the  whole,  I  found  myself  rather 
useless  in  London.  The  bewilderment  of  the  place, 
and  the  great  heat  of  the  season,  paralysed  both 
body  and  mind  of  me.     Thus  much  for  apology. 

"  As  I  have  some  room  in  my  sheet,  let  me  remind 
you  there  is  one  thing  needful,  and  that  one  all 
London  cannot  buy.  You  know  this;  I  hope  you  feel 
it.  I  have  some  hope  that  you  have  found  out  your 
want,  and  are  seeking  to  get  it  satisfied.  Seeking  is 
a  blessed  condition  to  be  in.  There  are  many 
precious  promises  in  the  Bible,  attached  to  hunger- 
ing, thirsting,  longing,  seeking,  asking,  striving,  etc. 
If  such  be  the  attitude  of  your  soul,  you  will  not  be 
left  'long  in  darkness.  Remember,  it  must  be  an 
'  altogether '  Christian,  or  none  at  all.  An  almost 
Christian  is  just  not  a  Christian.     You  must  venture 


chap.  iv.  LETTER  TO  A   YOUNG  MAN.  207 

all  on  Christ.  He  must  be  your  chosen  portion.  A 
partial  surrender  is  more  painful  than  a  complete; 
and  has  this  other  disadvantage,  it  is  the  loss  of  the 
soul.  How  many  who  have  enough  of  religion  to 
embitter  the  joys  of  the  world,  have  too  little  to 
secure  the  Christian's  peace. 

"  The  great  thing  is  your  personal  self  given  over 
to  a  personal  Christ.  Do  not  aim  to  obtain  religion ; 
aim  to  obtain  Christ.  Don't  look  to  the  doctrines  of 
the  Gospel,  look  through  them  to  Jesus.  Perhaps 
you  remember  something  of  Mr.  J.  L.,  a  member  of 
our  Church,  the  oldest  son  of  a  large  family.  He 
died  on  Tuesday,  after  what  has  latterly  been  a 
rapid  decline.  He  was  a  clear-headed,  warm-hearted 
youth.  He  had  for  several  years  been  with  consider- 
able earnestness  seeking  the  Lord;  but  during  the 
last  fortnight  of  his  life  a  very  great  enlargement 
was  given  to  him.  He  beheld  for  himself  the 
glorious  fulness  of  Christ.  His  mouth  was  opened 
(for  hitherto  he  had  been  very  reserved),  and  he 
spoke  ardently  the  praises  of  the  Lord.  He  over- 
came the  fear  of  death  and  the  cares  of  his  worldly 
affairs.  He  told  with  great  clearness  and  firmness 
of  his  peace  in  believing.  The  family,  especially  his 
mother  and  two  sisters,  although  in  a  great  measure 
dependent  on  him,  lost  sight  of  their  grief  in  joy  for 
the  life  of  his  soul.  They  are  sorrowing,  yet  rejoic- 
ing. Now,  my  dear  young  friend,  had  your  case  and 
his  been  reversed — had  you  been  taken  and  he  left — 
would  you  have  been  ready"?     Surely  we  ought  to 


208  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  rv. 

be  in  haste  in  this  matter;  to  give  all  diligence  to 
make  our  calling  and  election  sure.  Such  an  ex- 
ample is  held  out  before  us  in  great  mercy  to  arouse 
and  quicken. 

"Had  I  met  you  at  leisure  in  London,  I  would 
have  taken  the  liberty  of  asking  whether  you  had 
any  thoughts  of  seeking  admission  to  the  Lord's 
table :  you  went  away  from  Glasgow  without  doing 
it.  Right  to  keep  away  from  the  Lord's  table,  if  you 
had  no  good  ground  to  hope  that  you  had  given 
yourself  to  the  Lord,  but  not  right  to  delay  one  hour 
that  surrender  to  the  Saviour.  Do  not  wait  till  you 
be  good  enough.  Be  found  in  Him,  and  then,  un- 
worthy, go  in  the  worth  of  the  Lamb.  Seek  a 
minister  who  preaches  Christ  (not  only  makes  ser- 
mons about  Christianity),  who  humbles  men  and 
gives  God  all  the  glory.  Seek  under  such  a  ministry 
union  to  the  visible  Church.  Take  these  detached 
hints,  and  the  Lord  bless  them  to  your  soul.  My 
former  relation  to  you,  and  continued  regard  for 
you,  give  me  a  kind  of  right  to  address  you  freely; 
not  to  speak  of  the  affection  I  bear  to  your  father 
and  mother. 

"I  wish  I  could  get  you  introduced  to  some  of  the 
young  men  of  Regent  Square  Church.  Doubtless 
there  are  others  that  might  be  of  equal  value,  but  I 
had  not  an  opportunity  of  becoming  acquainted  with 
others.  There  is  one  whom  you  might  easily  find 
out  as  a  business  neighbour,  Mr.  Webster,  St.  Paul's 
Churchyard.     He  is  a  deacon  in  Regent  Square. 


chap.  iv.    DOUBTFUL  TENURE  OF  CHURCH.  209 

"  Mr.  Leslie,  it  seems,  was  a  teacher  with  me  at 
St.  Rollox ;  I  remember  bim ;  give  him  my  kind 
regards. — I  am,  yours,  Wm.  Arnot." 

The  following  is  to  Mr.  James  Nisbet,  publisher, 
London,  then  a  leading  elder  in  Regent  Square 
Church  (Dr.  Hamilton's),  in  reply  to  a  renewed 
request  for  help  there.  The  tract  to  which  it  alludes, 
and  which  was  shortly  afterwards  written,  seems  to 
have  been  Mr.  Arnot's  first  attempt  at  a  kind  of 
work  in  which  he  became  eminently  successful : — 

To  James  Nisbet,  Esq. 

"Glasgow,  28lh  Nov.  1846. 

"My  dear  Sir. — I  received  your  letter  at  the 
beginning  of  the  week,  but  have  not  found  leisure 
to  answer  it  till  now,  at  the  end  of  it. 

"  The  decision  against  the  Church  Building  So- 
ciety in  the  Court  of  Session  has  not  the  immediate 
effect  of  ejecting  us  from  the  church.  It  may  be 
hung  up  for  a  long  time  to  come.  We  feel  the  un- 
certainty of  our  tenure  very  uncomfortable.  We 
have  appointed  a  special  meeting  of  the  elders  and 
deacons  to  consider  the  question  of  building  a  new 
church,  irrespective  of  the  plea  now  going  on. 
Although  the  ultimate  decision  were  favourable,  it 
would  still  remain  a  question  whether  we  could 
continue  where  we  are ;  and  there  is  no  hope  of 
anything  but  an  unfavourable  decision  in  the  last 
resort, 
o 


210  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.         chap.  iv. 

"But  alas!  my  poor  services  cannot  be  wanted 
here  during  the  time  the  church  is  a-building.  It 
would  be  more  than  ever  necessary  to  keep  near  my 
poor  flock ;  so  I  can  see  no  prospect  of  any  length  of 
service  in  London  for  a  long  time  to  come.  I  am 
glad  to  hear  you  are  to  get  Andrew  Bonar  for  a  few 
weeks.  You  do  not  say  how  stands  the  minister's 
health  ;  but  I  assume  that  it  is  improving.  My  own 
work  goes  on  as  usual.  Some  little  encouragement. 
At  least  an  open  door  every  Sabbath.  I  still  remem- 
ber your  family,  and  many  other  friends  in  London, 
with  no  small  pleasure.  I  am  quite  willing  to  hope 
that  I  may  some  time  hereafter  enjoy  another  two  or 
three  weeks  of  London 

"  As  to  the  tract  I  dare  not  speak.  I  fear  I  am 
not  fitted  for  that  sort  of  work.  I  have  not  been 
able  even  to  try.  I  am  certainly  not  an  idle  man. 
And  yet  I  fear  my  exertions  are  not  well  directed, 
otherwise  more  would  come  out  of  them.     .     .     . 

"  You  say  we  are  thickly  set  here — they  are  not 
too  many.  To-morrow,  after  preaching  at  home  in 
the  forenoon,  I  have  to  drive  nine  miles  to  assist  at 
the  Communion,  and  preach  in  the  evening,  preach- 
ing on  Monday  at  another  place. — Yours, 

Wm.  Arnot." 

DIARY. 

"23d  December  1846. — My  dear  wife  to-day  gave 
birth  to  a  daughter.     The  Lord  hath  dealt  bounti- 


chap.  iv.  BIRTH  OF  A  DAUGHTER.  21] 

fully  with  us.  I  have  sought  to  dedicate  the  infant 
to  a  covenant  God.  I  think  as  yet  my  uppermost 
desire  for  her  is  that  she  may  be  a  ransomed  one,  a 
child  of  God." 

To  Rev.  John  Milne,  Perth. 

"  Glasgow,  2lst  December  1846. 

"My  dear  Sir, — I  suppose  you  have  heard  of 
the  event  in  our  family.  Indeed  now  for  the 
first  time  we  feel  we  have  the  right  to  be  called  a 
family 

"  Now  to  the  point.  The  plan  belongs  all  to  the 
better  half — it  would  not  have  entered  into  my  dull 
head.  You  come  to  Glasgow  on  the  17th  of  January 
to  assist  Brother  Somerville  at  his  Communion.  I 
know  it  would  be  a  privilege  to  you  both  to  enjoy 
rest  on  the  forenoon  of  that  day,  and  hear  the 
sermon  ;  but  if  the  call  is  sufficiently  urgent,  you  will 
undertake  some  duty.  You  come  to  St.  Peter's  on 
the  forenoon  of  that  day;  give  the  people  a  quiet 
little  word,  and  baptise  our  child.  My  pen  seems  to 
shrink  from  writing  it.  The  soimd  is  so  strange. 
Now  just  answer  at  your  leisure.  I  shall  not  be 
anxious  about  it,  for  I  think  you  cannot  object. 

"  The  baptism  of  my  child  may,  if  the  Lord  will,  be 
good  for  me — may  give  a  shock  to  this  sluggish  soul 
which  it  needs  much — a  something  to  arouse  to 
spiritual  life  and  consciousness." 


212  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  rv. 

The  Free  Church  congregation  in  Montreal  still 
continued  to  occupy  a  large  corner  in  his  heart,  and 
his  communications  with  its  members  were  frequent 
and  cordial.  Some  of  them  sought  his  advice  when 
they  were  in  difficulty  as  to  the  propriety  of  admit- 
ting as  members  and  office-bearers  of  church  men 
who  trafficked  in  spirituous  liquors.  His  answer  is 
conveyed  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Donald  Fraser,  now  Dr. 
Fraser,  of  Marylebone  Presbyterian  Church,  London. 

"Although  I  very  much  sympathise  with  those 
who  feel  a  difficulty  in  admitting  one  who  traffics  in 
spirits,  I  cannot  go  the  length  of  making  a  rule  that 
none  such  be  admitted  to  the  church.  I  cannot  do 
this,  simply  because  I  cannot  find  a  ground  for  it  in 
Scripture.  And  woe  to  me  if  I  make  a  rule  which 
would  keep  out  one  of  the  generation  of  God's 
children.  If  the  members  of  session  are  induced  to 
try  every  case  on  its  own  merits,  without  making  a 
rule,  they  might  yet  get  through  all  their  difficulties. 
I  think  there  would  not  be  many  cases  in  which  they 
would  differ  in  opinion  if  each  case  were  tried  on  its 
own  merits." 

In  the  spring  of  this  year  (1847)  he  was  again 
compelled  to  weigh  the  opposing  claims  of  his  old 
sphere  of  labour  and  a  new  one.  This  time  the  call 
proposed  was  to  a  Professorship  in  the  Presbyterian 
College  in  London.  It  had  many  attractions  for 
him,  and  exercised  his  mind  mnch  for  several  months 
ere  it  was  finally  settled. 


CALL  TO  LONDON.  213 


To  Rev.  James  Hamilton. 

"  Glasgow,  21  st  April  1847. 

"My  dear  Hamilton, — I  received  your  letter 
yesterday,  and  expected  to  send  an  acknowledg- 
ment in  the  evening ;  but  a  press  of  business 
supervened,  and  the  post  hour  passed.  Even  now 
it  must  be  an  acknowledgment  and  not  an  answer. 
The  matter  of  your  communication  is  great.  Per- 
haps I  should  consider  it  a  wise  Providence  that 
prevented  me  from  coming  to  Liverpool.  It  is  well 
for  me  that  the  business  of  the  Synod  will  be  over 
before  you  can  know  anything  of  my  mind  at  all. 
The  matter  is  too  great,  and  it  has  come  too 
suddenly,  for  me  to  give  any  opinion.  But,  now 
that  the  Synod  will  have  done  what  it  is  to  do  on 
the  subject,  I  shall  give  you  a  hint  or  two  just  as 
they  now  occur  to  me. 

"  Observe,  I  do  not  speak  of  my  own  ^qualifica- 
tions,— that  is  your  matter.  The  thought  of  that 
kind  of  work  is  very  pleasant  to  me.  I  like  to 
teach.  I  think  I  would  greatly  delight  in  teaching 
students.  The  prospect  that  it  will  afford  of  study 
and  reading,  before  I  am  yet  too  old  for  profiting 
by  it,  is  more  attractive  than  I  can  tell.  There 
would  also  be  opportunities  of  preaching,  which, 
instead  of  counting  a  burden,  I  hope  I  would  find 
to  be  a  necessary  of  life.  But,  tell  me,  surely  there 
is  some  other  reason  than  the  ostensible  one  for 
choosing  me  to  be  Professor?     Are  not  the   Regent 


214  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  iv. 

Square  people  strong  in  the  College  Committee? 
and  have  they  not  an  eye  to  a  Professor  who  might 
do  to  be  an  assistant  to  their  minister,  seeing  they 
need  one  at  anyrate  ?  I  have  an  idea  that  there 
must  be  something  in  that  direction.  If  they  had 
been  looking  with  a  single  eye  to  the  Professor,  I 
do  not  think  they  would  have  chosen  me. 

"As  to  the  other  side,  the  difficulties — the  one 
grand  difficulty  is  St.  Peter's  congregation.  If  I 
had  been  unattached,  or  attached  to  a  less  im- 
portant charge,  I  would  have  grasped  at  the  pro- 
posal, and  the  church  would  have  released  me ; 
but  I  confess  it  overwhelms  me  to  look  forward 
to  the  rupture  of  this  bond.  However,  it  cannot 
be  worse  than  is  occurring  in  almost  every  trans- 
lation. It  is  not  only  the  private  and  personal 
that  I  have  to  fear ;  it  is  the  church — the  Presbytery 
and  the  Assembly,  if  it  should  go  there.  I  do  not 
know  the  present  state  and  future  prospects  of  your 
College ;  but  I  fear  that  it  will  be  difficult  to  make 
it  weigh  against  my  congregation  in  the  balance 
of  our  church  courts.  You  must  observe  that  in 
Glasgow  we  are  not  (proportionally)  very  strong. 
We  have  a  number  of  weak  congregations,  and 
they  would  be  afraid  to  endanger  one  that  is  of 
considerable  size; 

"  Another  minor  point  is,  our  people  are  preparing 
to  build  a  church  and  schools.  We  have  the  plans 
under  consideration,  and  expect  soon  to  begin.  If 
we  begin,  I  think  I  would  be  bound  to  them  for  a 


chap.  iv.        REASONS  FOR  AND  AGAINST.  215 

while.  I  would  feel  it  to  be  like  a  breach  of  con- 
tract to  leave  them  after  they  had  come  under 
liabilities  on  the  faith  of  my  being  among  them. 

"  I  need  not  proceed  further  with  this  balancing. 
I  have  some  comfortable  hope  that  I  am  willing 
to  do  in  this  matter  what  the  Lord  would  have  me 
to  do,  if  I  know  His  will.  I  shall  just  wait  and 
watch  for  the  marks  of  His  goings.  Upon  the 
whole,  while  I  have  neither  the  materials  nor  the 
time  for  even  an  approach  to  making  up  my  own 
mind,  I  confess  that  the  intimation  in  your  note  has 
lodged  itself  deeper  in  my  mind  than  anything  of  a 
similar  kind  since  I  began  my  work  here.  It  has 
taken  a  great  hold  of  me.  I  am  afraid  lest  it  be 
too  pleasing.  The  whole  matter  must  get  time  to 
settle ;  there  is  a  great  process  of  filtration  neces- 
sary before  we  can  see  through  so  deep  a  question. 
It  involves  my  life's  destiny ;  it  involves  the  work 
of  the  Lord,  so  far  as  it  is  committed  to  me.  The 
question  is — Having  one  life,  and  supposing  it  given 
to  the  Lord,  how  shall  it  be  best  laid  out  for  Him? 
This  is  a  great  question,  not  to  be  rashly  settled — 
not  to  be  settled  without  prayer  and  watching. 

"  Now,  although  for  my  own  sake  I  have  no  secrets 
to  keep,  I  think  I  ought  to  enjoin  you  not  to  com- 
municate this  letter.  I  am  not  afraid  of  committing 
myself  for  fear  of  inconsistencies  afterwards.  If  I 
do  anything  different  from  the  above  expression  of 
my  mind,  it  will  be  for  a  good  reason.  I  have  no 
wish,  in  any  such  case,  to  keep  an  open  door  for 


216  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  iv. 


myself.  Honesty,  I  find,  is  not  only  the  best  policy ; 
it  is  absolutely  sufficient.  But  I  would  fear  for  the 
public  cause.  Possibly  some  things  I  say  to  you,  who 
know  me  pretty  well,  might  convey  to  others  an 
impression  that  there  is  no  ground  for,  and  so  lead 
to  injury.  I  think  you  will  agree  with  me  that  this 
letter  is  strictly  private;  and  what  you  may  say  of 
my  mind  on  the  question  should  be  just  your  own 
opinion,  formed  in  the  best  way  you  could  from 
whatever  materials  were  before  you.     Farewell ! 

Wm.  Arnot." 

The  following  passage  from  a  letter  from  Dr. 
Hamilton,  will  show  the  kind  of  pressure  which  was 
brought  to  bear  on  him  on  this  subject. 

"  Surely,  when  you  get  to  a  standing-point  high 
enough,  and  see  the  vastness  of  this  opportunity, 
vou  will  make  up  your  mind  so  resolutely  that  no 
urgency  will  be  able  to  detain  you.  Here  it  is.  A 
vitalised    Presbyterianism   might   under  God  be  the 

present  salvation  of  England There  is  a 

very  considerable  craving  for  Free  Church  preaching 
— a  craving  which  a  little  more  strength  in  our 
church,  and  a  little  less  stiffness  in  our  ministers, 
might  convert  into  a  perfect  rage.  But  the  power 
of  our  church,  both  to  create  and  to  meet  this  de- 
mand, resides  in  the  College.  I  only  repeat  that  it 
is  a  vitalised  Presbyterianism — sound  doctrine  in 
warm  English  hearts,  and  from  fluent  English  lips? 
guided  by  Scottish  sense,  and  systematically  propa- 


PERSUASIONS.  217 


gated  by  Presbyterian  organisation,  which  promises, 
in  the  hand  of  the  quickening  Spirit,  to  retrieve  the 
interests  of  evangelical  piety  in  England. 

"Now,  my  dear  Arnot,  you  have  open  eyes,  and 
a  fresh  and  active  mind,  and  power  of  adapting  to 
circumstances.  If  you  were  here,  you  would  soon 
see  how  the  land  lies,  and  what  the  present  exigen- 
cies of  this  England  are,  and  you  would  train  and 
instruct  our  students  accordingly 

"I  know  that  you  will  not  found  a  new  school  in 
theology ;  but  I  believe  that  you  will  put  new  life 
in  the  old  one.  And  I  firmly  believe,  if  you  come 
here  in  high  heart  and  hope,  and  with  a  two  years' 
stock  of  patience,  that  you  will  be  blessed  by  God 
to  render  a  most  signal  service  to  the  Christianity 
of  this  empire. 

*'  Send  me  a  line,  and  if  your  path  is  not  plain,  I 
will  try  to  come  down  ;  but  oh,  how  thankful 
I  would  be  to  hear  that  your  doubts  were  ended." 

DIARY. 

"  May  22d,  1847. — My  mind  is  much  occupied  at 
present  with  a  proposal  to  remove  to  London.  The 
Synod  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  England,  at 
their  meeting  in  April  last  in  Sunderland,  nomi- 
nated me  to  the. Chair  of  Systematic  and  Pastoral 
Theology  in  their  College.  I  have  had  much 
correspondence  and  conference  on  the  subject. 
There  are  many  reasons  in  favour  of  going,  and 
many    for   staying    here.     I   feel    the    need    of    the 


218  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap.  iv. 

Lord's  hand  to  lead  me.  I  am  not  altogether 
without  hope  that  He  will  point  out  His  own  way 
and  enable  me  to  follow  it.  It  would  be  a  great 
step  to  leave  the  ministry  in  this  congregation, 
after  having  been  in  it  eight  years  and  a-half. 
The  bond  to  them  is  very  strong ;  and  yet  it  is 
not  to  my  mind  certain  or  self-evident  that  I 
ought  to  refuse  the  call. 

"At  the  same  meeting  of  the  English  Presbyterian 
Synod  that  elected  me  to  the  professorship  at  home, 
William  Burns,  my  fellow-student  of  old,  the  Lord's 
highly  honoured  servant,  was  nominated  missionary 
to  China.  He  has  consented,  and  been  designated 
to  the  work.     He  sails  in  a  few  days." 

Although  his  own  opinion  was  expressed  strongly 
in  favour  of  the  translation,  the  Presbytery  unani- 
mously refused  to  put  the  call  into  his  hands. 
At  the  time  he  was  seriously  disappointed,  and 
expressed  himself  so  to  one  of  his  elders  on  the 
way  home  from  the  meeting  of  Presbytery,  saying 
that  the  congregation  should  not  have  opposed  the 
call  as  they  knew  his  every  thought,  and  he  had 
nothing  new  to  give  them. 

To  Rev.  James  Hamilton. 

"  Glasgow,  25M  June  1847. 

"  My  dear  Sir — 

"  ....  I  write  to  you,  and  beg  that  you  will 
communicate   to  other   friends   whatever   is   neces- 


chap.  iv.  RESULT.  219 

saiy,  as  I  cannot  at  present  undertake  to  write 
more  than  one  letter  on  the  subject.  My  mind 
has  been  tossed  a  good  deal  of  late,  and  most  of 
all  yesterday  ;  it  will  need  some  time  to  rest 
and  heal. 

"  The  decision  of  the  Presbytery  was  against  the 
translation — unanimous  apparently.  I  know  at  least 
of  two  who  were  on  the  other  side,  but  who  seem 
to  have  been  quite  thrown  off  their  balance  by  the 
torrent  of  strong  opposition  that  flowed  continuous 
from  a  number  of  speakers.  I  cannot  give  you  a  full 
history,  but  shall  state  some  leading  points. 

"My  mind  was  made  up  so  far  in  the  morning  as 
to  determine  to  put  the  Presbytery  between  the  alter- 
native of  translating  or  referring  to  the  Commission.  I 
suppose  I  must  have  spoken  with  some  degree  of 
confusion,  but  I  know  that  the  principal  state- 
ments regarding  my  own  mind  were  abundantly 
clear.  I  said  the  Assembly  of  our  Church  were 
cognisant  of  your  College,  and  had  passed  a  judg- 
ment of  encouragement ;  that  it  would  be  incon- 
sistent and  unfair  in  us  to  refuse  their  call,  on  the 
ground  that  the  College  was  not  on  a  right  footing. 
If  we  thought  so,  we  ought  as  a  Church  to  pass 
such  a  judgment,  and  withdraw  our  former  approval. 
I  stated  that  I  felt  the  importance  of  England;  we 
have  no  colony  like  England,  etc.  I  confessed  there 
were  difficulties,  but  declared  strongly  that  the 
reasons  for  the  translation  preponderated  over  those 
against  it ;  that  if  called  to  give  a  judgment  on  the 


220  MEMOIR  OF  REV.  W.  ARNOT.         chap.  iv. 

question  (supposing  myself  not  a  party)  I  would 
vote  for  it ;  that  I  had  just  the  same  grounds  for 
coming  to  a  judgment  that  I  have  on  most  other 
occasions,  a  balance  of  reasons  ;  that  I  dreaded  the 
responsibility  of  breaking  connection  with  my  pre- 
sent congregation,  but  dreaded  more  the  responsi- 
bility of  refusing  the  call 

"  I  submit  to  the  decision  :  1  think  it  must  be  j  ust 
the  obstacle  that  I  asked  the  Lord  to  provide  and 
throw  in  my  way,  if  He  saw  me  moving  in  a  direc- 
tion that  He  did  not  approve.  But  I  am  made  very 
sad  about  the  discouragement  to  the  brethren  in 
England — I  think  not  intended  by  the  speakers 
— and  yet  the  legitimate  effect  of  their  speeches. 

"  I  do  not  know  how  it  will  be  with  my  congre- 
gation. They  are  taking  measures  to  assure  me 
of  a  good  reception ;  but  they  all  know  well  that  I 
declared  my  judgment  in  favour  of  leaving.  I  shall 
go  to  my  work  without  any  grudge.  If  they  receive 
me  well ;  if  they  do  not,  still  well.  In  this  matter  I 
am- determined  to  be  happy.     .     . 

"You  observe  I  am  in  a  different  position  now. 
Even  though  my  mind  were  much  clearer  than  it 
is,  it  would  be  a  violation  of  all  Presbyterial  pro- 
priety to  leave  my  place  against  the  strongly 
expressed  opinion  of  the  whole  Presbytery.  I  do 
not  see  it  likely  that  I  shall  ever  leave  Glasgow 
unless  I  become  useless.  I  never  get  further  in 
these  matters  than  a  balance  of  arguments  and  a 
preponderance  on  one    side.       I    never    get    what 


chap.  xv.  REMAINS  IN  GLASGOW.  221 

they  call  clearness.  That  is,  no  doubt  and  no 
difficulty.  You  know  I  must  tell  the  truth.  I 
cannot  conceive  it  possible  that  I  could  ever  reach 
that  point  of  clearness  as  to  leaving  my  congre- 
gation, until  they  make  it  clear  that  they  wish  to 
get  rid  of  me 

"  Upon  the  whole,  I  am  inclined  to  take  the  deci- 
sion as  the  very  design  of  the  Lord  for  me,  and 
for  you  too.  It  may  have  the  effect  either  of 
getting  you  a  better,  or  of  setting  you  to  the 
work  of  constructing  your  platform  more  system- 
atically at  the  commencement. 

"The  Lord  bless  you  all.  I  cannot  say  anything 
to  encourage  you  ;  I  am  in  need  of  encouragement 
myself. — Yours,  Wm.  Arnot." 

To  George  Barbour,  Esq. 

"Glasgow,  28th  June  1847. 

"My  dear  Mr.  Barbour, — 

" .  .  .  .  You  will  be  glad  to  know  that  I 
went  to  meet  my  people  yesterday  in  great  com- 
posure ;  indeed  I  preached  with  much  more  ease  than 
I  am  accustomed  to  do.  I  do  not  remember  any 
period  when  I  more  enjoyed  the  'conscience  void 
of  offence.'  I  held  my  head  quite  erect.  The  con- 
gregation know  quite  well  that  I  expressed  my 
judgment  in  favour  of  translation.  They  were 
amazed  at  the  Presbytery  coolly  assuming  that  I 
had  given  no  opinion.  The  subject  of  lecture,  in 
the  ordinary  course  (I  have  been  going  on  without 


222  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  iv. 

an  interval  from  the  beginning  of  the  epistle),  was 
Romans  xv.  17-24.  On  the  22ncl  verse,  'I  have  been 
much  hindered  from  coming  to  you,'  I  told  them 
plainly  that  I  had  some  desire  to  go  to  London,  the 
Rome  of  the  modeim  world — the  well-spring  of 
influence  for  the  earth — to  cast  in  the  salt  at  the 
fountain,  in  the  hope  that  the  issuing  streams  might 
refresh  the  most  distant  wastes — but  that  I  had 
been  hindered.  I  told  them,  too,  'it  would  be  a 
better  thing  for  you  if  your  minister  had  such  a 
love  for  the  Lord  as  would  make  him  willing  on  a 
day's  warning  to  leave  you,  than  that  he  should 
have  such  a  love  for  you  as  would  make  him  refuse 
the  call  of  the  Lord.'  " 

DIARY. 

"  June  27,  1847. — Great  events  in  one  short  month 
since  last  entry — the  great  event,  the  death  of  Dr. 
Chalmers.  Great  honour  shown  to  him.  Even  in 
his  death  he  h;is  largely  benefited  the  world.  It 
must  do  good  to  the  world  to  revere  such  a  char- 
acter.    Sore  bereavement  to  the  Free  Church. 

"  The  question  of  the  College  in  London  in  the 
meantime  set  at  rest,  and  I  remain  in  my  present 
place. 

"  August  1,  1847. — This  day  finished  a  series  of 
expositions  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  It  was 
begun  15th  March  1846 — about  55  lectures  in  all. 
It  is  a  time  much  to  be  remembered  in  my  ministry. 
For  the  first  time,  in  this  series,  I  ceased  to  write  fully 


chap.  iv.  WRITING  A  TRACT.  223 

out.  Each  lecture  has  four  octavo  pages  allotted  to 
it ;  generally  these  are  closely  studded  with  jottings 
of  the  matter,  but  the  words  are  left  to  the  exempor- 
aneous  expression.  I  have  often  found  enlargement 
and  pleasure  in  the  exercise.  But  chiefly,  the 
whole,  the  impression  obtained  and  retained  on  my 
own  mind  of  the  connected  whole  of  the  epistle — 
the  orderly  unfolding  of  the  mystery  of  godliness 
which  it  contains — this  is  much  to  be  remembered. 

"  I  am  now  going  on  with  an  afternoon  course  of 
sermons  on  doctrines  according  to  the  order  of 
the  Shorter  Catechism. 

To  Mr.  Nisbet. 

"18th  August  1847. 

"  Dear  Sir, — Enclosed  you  will  receive  the 
MS.  of  a  tract.  I  have  kept  at  my  desk  to- 
day and  finished  it.  Many  a  weary  thought  if 
has  cost  me, — not  the  writing  of  these  pages, 
but  just  the  general  question  what  subject  to 
take  and  how  to  begin.  Many  a  sermon  I  took, 
and  planned  a  tract  out  of  its  substance ;  but 
always  lost  conceit  of  it  before  I  could  begin  to 
write.  At  last  I  fell  upon  the  plan  of  writing  on  a 
subject  altogether  new  to  me,  making  the  tract  out 
of  new  cloth,  instead  of  shaping  it  down  out  of  an  old 
sermon.  The  plan  has  succeeded  to  a  nicety  in  one 
point — it  has  made  me  write  speedily,  and  with  some 
enjoyment  too  ;  but  as  to  the  character  of  the  pro- 
duct, that  it  is  a  different  question.     If  it  is  not  suit- 


224  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  iv. 

able,  send  it  back  to  me  freely.  I  promise  not  to  take 
it  ill ;  indeed,  I  would  not  be  discouraged  though  my 
first  effort  should  fail  to  hit  the  mark.  I  would  try 
again,  and  hope  to  succeed  better  next  time." 

DIARY. 
"August  19,  1847. — I  have  been  appointed  by  a 
Committee  of  the  Commission  to  go  to  Ireland,  to 
inquire  into  the  condition  of  the  people  in  certain 
districts,  and  preach.  It  is  understood  that,  owing 
to  the  kindness  of  Protestants  during  their  distress, 
the  Papists  in  some  places  are  better  disposed  to 
hear  from  a  Protestant  the  preached  Word." 

To  His  Wife. 

"  Ballina,  27th  August  1847. 

"My  dearest  Jane,— 

" .  .  .  .  I  sallied  forth,  in  all  the  comfort  of 
incognito,  to  see  what  I  could  see.  The  only  pro- 
minent  buildings  about  the  town — alas  !  for  Ireland 
— are  the  poorshouse,  the  prison,  and  the  barracks. 
These  are  large;  all  the  rest  are  poor  and  mean. 
No  object  of  peculiar  interest  arrested  me  till  I  came 
to  a  large  open  square,  in  the  middle  of  which  is  the 
potato  market.  It  is  there  that  an  Irishman's  heart 
is  ;  it  is  there  that  you  see  life  in  earnest  among 
Irishmen.  Two  rude  posts  are  set  upright  in  the 
earth,  about  two  yards  distant  from  each  other.  A 
similar  beam  is  laid  across  the  top.  From  the  middle 
of  it  is  suspended  a  large   huge  iron  scale  beam ; 


chap.  iv.         AN  IRISH  POTATO  MARKET.  225 

beside  it  stands  a  man  of  authority,  with  his  frieze 
coat  all  of  one  colour,  and  no  holes  in  it,  thus  distin- 
guished from  the  group  of  inferior  beings  over  whom 
he  presides.  His  office  is  to  weigh  all  the  potatoes. 
When  a  bargain  is  struck  between  a  countryman 
and  a  townsman  for  the  purchase  of  a  stone  of  pota- 
toes, this  officer  weighs  them,  and  from  his  authority 
there  is  no  appeal.  It  would  never  do  to  let  the 
buyer  and  seller  fight  it  out  between  themselves. 
There  might  occasionally  be  a  repetition  of  the  Kil- 
kenny cat  experience.  Well,  I  walked  L-ound,  and 
crept  near,  and  looked,  and  listened.  I  cannot  de- 
scribe the  scene,  except  by  saying  it  was  altogether 
Irish.  Some  poor  creatures  there  were,  looking  on 
like  myself,  observing  every  sale  that  was  effected, 
making  remarks  on  the  quality  and  the  price,  but 
never  proposing  to  buy.  When  one  went  away  with 
his  stone  or  half-stone,  these  on-lookers  just  went 
over  to  some  other  parties  that  were  making  a  bar- 
gain, watched  its  progress  with  interest,  saw  the 
weighing  accomplished  and  the  price  paid,  and 
looked  about  for  another.  I  soon  began  to  perceive 
the  cause.  They  had  nothing  to  buy  withal ;  but 
they  were  there  just  feasting  their  eyes  on  the  dear 
potato.  (The  poorest  still  get  Government  rations, 
but  the  Government  only  give  'committee'  a  par- 
ritch  made  of  a  mixture  of  rice  and  Indian  corn ; 
nothing  so  expensive  as  the  potato — it  is  8d.  per 
stone.)  I  heard  one  woman  in  the  melee  saying  to 
her  neighbour,  not  in  the  way  of  complaint,  but  just 


226  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  rv. 

as  information,  that  she  had  not  had  any  potatoes  in 
her  own  house  this  season  yet.  I  felt  a  desire  creep- 
ing up  the  inside  of  me  to  give  the  poor  thing  a  few 
pratties ;  but  a  salutary  fear  accompanied  the  wisli 
— a  fear  lest  an  embrace  of  love  from  twenty  Irish- 
women all  at  once  might  be  too  much  for  my  nerves. 
So  I  went  to  work  cautiously.  I  whispered  to  the 
man  of  authority,  asking  him  if  he  could  undertake 
to  give  half-a-stone  each  to  six  of  the  poorest,  with- 
out making  much  noise  among  the  rest.  He  said  he 
would.  I  gave  him  the  order,  prudently  holding  no 
communication  with  any  but  himself.  In  the  first 
stages  of  the  business,  all  things  prospered.  The 
six  were  selected  from  among  the  applicants.  The 
three  stones  were  weighed  and  poured  on  the  ground 
in  a  heap.  Then  the  man  made  a  grand  mistake. 
Had  he  taken  the  trouble  of  keeping  them  all  at 
arm's  length,  and  himself  given  each  the  proper 
share,  they  would  all  have  respected  his  authority ; 
but  he  called  upon  all  the  six  to  spread  their  aprons 
round,  and  begin  to  till.  The  moment  the  creatures 
felt  the  potatoes  with  their  own  hands,  a  sort  of 
frenzy  seized  upon  them,  and  they  all  acted  exactly 
as  if  the  word  of  command  had  been,  '  Go  it ;  see 
who  will  catch  most.'  In  a  twinkling  the  heap  dis- 
appeared ;  but,  alas !  there  was  no  justice  in  the 
division.  Some  sharpers  had  lions'  shares,  and  some 
old  people  had  hardly  any.  Those  who  had  a  good 
booty  took  themselves  off,  and  those  who  had  few 
came  round  me,  as  also  those  who  had  not  been  in- 


AN  UNFAIR  DIVISION.  227 


eluded  in  the  six.  One  poor  old  man,  whom  the  weigher 
first  selected  as  the  most  needy  of  all,   came  and 
stretched  his  imploring  hand  to  me  with  three  little 
buttons  of  potatoes — all  that  had  fallen  to  his  share. 
Things  were  now  looking  serious.     All  business  was 
suspended  in  the  market.     I  stood  in  the  centre,  with 
as  pretty  a  ring  round  me  as  you  could  desire  to 
see.     Those  who  were  not  poor  and  not  asking  any- 
thing, came  forward  deeply  interested  in  the  fate  of 
the  disappointed  poor.     At  that  moment  the  weigher 
handed  to  me,  in  pence,  the  sixpence  surplus  of  the 
half-crown  I  had  paid.     I  announced  that  I  would 
devote  the  sixpence  to  make  up  the  loss  of  those  ot 
the  six  who  had  been  defrauded,  and  that  I  would 
do  no  more.     I  easily  fixed  on  four,  who,  in  different 
degrees,  had  suffered  by  the  unequal  division — that 
is,  I  could  identify  the  faces  ;  but  how  to  distinguish 
the  hands  that  belonged  to  these  faces  among  the 
sheaf  of  arms  and  yellow  hands  that  was  presented 
to  me — all  the  fingers  sprawling  signs  of  eloquent 
expostulation.       I    did    the    thing    resolutely    and 
leisurely :  in  each  case  tracing  the  arm  that  issued 
from   the  right   person  up   to  the  hand  at  its  ex- 
tremity,  and   plumping  the   pence   into   the    eager 
paw,   which   instinctively    closed   and    disappeared, 
leaving  me  to  select  the  next,  and  so  on.     I  then 
announced  so  firmly  that  I  would  do  no  more,  that 
scarcely  any  followed  me  when   I   took  my  leave. 
There  is  some  sense  of  fair  play  among  them.     Think 
of  the  state  of  the  people,  when  half-a-crown  could 


228  MEMOIR  OF  REV.    W.  ARNOT.         chap.  iv. 

turn  aside  the  market  in  the  county  town  of  a  large 
county. 

"  Nor  was  this  all.  Some  time  after,  and  when  I 
was  emerging  from  the  town  on  the  way  back,  two 
men  from  the  market,  of  the  farmer  class,  came  up  to 
me  very  politely,  telling  me  they  were  a  deputation 
from  the  people  in  the  market  to  learn  my  name, 
that  they  might  do  me  sundry  honours,  and  especially 
pray  for  me.  I  declined  to  give  my  name,  but  told 
them  in  general  that  I  was  from  Scotland,  and  came 
to  see  what  state  they  were  in,  and  that  we  in  Scot- 
land cared  for  them  in  their  sufferings.  I  learned 
from  the  men  that  the  opinion  in  the  market  ran 
that  I  was  a  Government  official — at  the  very  least 
Her  Majesty's  Commissioner  for  carrying  out  the 
provisions  of  the  Drainage  Act.     .     .     . 

"  Here  I  have  had  long  cracks  with  Scripture 
readers.  I  get  interested  in  the  work  now.  I  am 
to  go  into  harness  to-morrow ;  and  clear  it  is  this 
Michael  Brannigan  is  a  rigid  disciplinarian,  and  will 
keep  us  all  at  it  so  long  as  we  are  under  his  juris- 
diction. .  .  .  The  Irish  reader  was  at  one  of  the 
places  to-day  where  there  is  an  industrial  school. 
When  he  went  to  the  door  it  was  barricaded.  He 
cried  out  he  was  a  friend.  '  Who  are  you  *? '  '  John 
Caldwell.'  '  Come  to  the  window.'  And  only  when 
they  saw  him  they  let  him  in.  In  this  way  they 
have  kept  out  the  priest  these  three  days.  He 
comes  every  day,  and  if  they  let  him  in  he  will  whip 
the   children    out  of  the   school.     Just  think  of  the 


chap.  iv.  POPISH  TYRANNY.  229 

girls  trembling  within,  and  helping  the  mistress  to 
hold  the  door,  lest  the  tyrant  should  get  his  hands 
over  them." 

Ballina,  30M  August  1847. 
"...  Yesterday  was  a  great  day.  The  day 
was  so  great,  and  my  present  opportunity  so  small, 
that  I  ought  not  to  attempt  any  details.  I  am  con- 
vinced now  that  Ave  are  not  here  in  vain.  The 
devil  is  raging  so  violently,  that  there  is  no  doubt 
at  all  he  feels  some  of  his  works  to  be  destroyed. 
At  one  of  the  two  stations  that  I  visited  yesterday, 
the  priest  burst  in  on  us  while  I  was  preaching  to 
a  crowded  and  attentive  audience.  His  conduct 
baffles  all  description.  It  was  a  Protestant's  house, 
and  hired  by  Mr.  Brannigan  for  regular  Sabbath 
worship,  and  a  school  during  the  week.  The  owner 
of  the  house  declared  the  priest  an  intruder,  and 
ordered  him  out.  He  stalked  through  the  house, 
and  cracked  his  whip  over  the  poor  cowering 
creatures,  and  raged  just  as  a  Turkish  pasha  would 
over  his  slaves,  whom  he  could  order  to  be  strangled 
with  the  bow-string.  I  held  a  debate  with  him  a 
while,  the  particulars  of  which  are  instructive,  and 
as  they  are  not  likely  to  fade  from  my  memory,  I 
reserve  them  for  another  time.  You  must  not  sup- 
pose I  was  in  any  danger.  I  had  two  sturdy  Irish 
readers  with  me,  and  the  people's  affections  all  with 
me.  They  hate  the  priest  cordially,  but,  poor 
creatures,  they  fear  his  whip.      I  think  it  probable, 


230  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap,  iv 

when  we  get  a  consultation  with  the  brethren,  that 
we  shall  bring  the  fellow  to  justice  for  his  crime,  in 
order  to  show  the  poor  people  that  they  will  be  pro- 
tected from  him.  I  think  he  must  have  been  from 
twenty  minutes  to  half  an  hour  in  the  house  before 
we  got  quit  of  him.  When  he  left,  those  who  had 
run  away  returned,  and  we  concluded  the  service. 
It  was  a  most  solemn  scene.  My  heart  was  full  — 
oppressed  with  the  thought  of  the  bondage  in  which 
the  wicked  one  holds  this  land. 

"  At  the  other  station  in  the  afternoon  all  was 
quiet.  The  schism  there  is  so  great,  both  in  numbers 
and  weight,  that  the  priest  of  the  parish  is  obliged  to 
content  himself  with  denouncing  from  his  pulpit 
those  who  attend  the  preaching.  A  large  house  was 
crowded,  and  some  at  the  doors  on  either  side.  The 
most  careful  computation  made  them  130  of  all 
classes,  a  considerable  proportion  of  substantial  men. 
A  number  of  boys  about  fourteen  were  earnest 
listeners.  I  preached  from  John  xiv.  6,  with  great 
freedom — with  more  of  a  heart-swelling  happiness 
than  I  ever  remember  to  have  experienced  before  in 
the  act  of  preaching ;  and  oh,  how  they  listened  !  " 

"  Belderig,  Co.  Mato,  2d  September  1847. 
" .  .  .  My  paper  is  all  done  but  one  sheet. 
I  must  be  sparing.  A  good  night's  rest — dis- 
turbed a  little  by  the  rain.  It  came  a  shower 
just  as  we  were  going  to  sleep,  and  the  roof  not 
being   water   tight,    our    host  had   to  get   up   and 


chap.  iv.  FAMINE.  231 

set  buckets  at  the  top  of  the  bed  to  catch  it. 
And  these  houses  occupied  by  the  coast-guard  are 
palaces  compared  with  the  cabins  of  the  country 
people.  Oh,  this  land !  I  have  just  laid  down 
my  pen  to  go  to  the  other  room  in  the  front  of 
the  house  to  see  the  boys  getting  their  stir-about. 
Forty-five  boys  are  now  supping  their  Indian  meal 
porridge  before  the  window  before  going  to  school. 
There  they  sit  on  the  ground  in  a  drizzling  rain, 
eating  the  only  good  meal  they  will  get  to-day. 
The  sight  is  dreadful.  It  is  famine  still.  The 
mass  of  the  people  are  kept  living  still  by  charity. 
If  it  is  withdrawn,  they  will  die  by  thousands 
immediately ;  and  for  the  winter  the  prospect  is 
no  better.  The  Government  and  Legislature  have 
been  blinded.  It  seems  as  if  God  had  visited 
them  with  blindness,  that  His  stroke  might  be  felt 
unmitigated  by  this  devoted  land. 

Parish  Work — Note  by  a  Member  of  St.  Peter's. 

"  Mr,  Arnot  was  always  interested  in  the  spiritual 
welfare  of  his  old  parish,  which  after  the  Dis- 
ruption continued  to  be  the  mission  district  of  the 
congregation.  I  remember  him  telling  one  night, 
while  we  were  still  in  Oswald  Street,  how  the 
evening  before  he  had  gone  down  through  it  to 
see  if  he  could  get  something  to  do.  He  came  to 
Buchanan  Court,  Broomielaw ;  opposite  the  steam- 
boat wharf.  It  then  contained  a  large  number  of 
small  houses  occupied  by  the  very  worst  characters 


232  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.        chap.  iv. 

in  Glasgow.  He  thought  of  preaching  in  it  from 
an  outside  stair ;  but  when  he  saw  the  numbers  of 
fierce-looking  men  and  women  at  windows  and 
doors,  his  heart  failed  him.  Seeing  some  children 
playing  on  a  barrow,  he  went  forward  and  began 
to  speak  to  them.  Older  persons  drew  near  to 
hear  what  he  was  saying,  and  soon  there  was  a 
considerable  crowd  around  him,  to  whom  he  spoke 
of  the  one  thing  needful." 

Letter  from  Mr.  A.  Wark,  London. 

"  About  two  years  after  I  joined  St.  Peter's,  Mr. 
Arnot  announced  from  the  pulpit,  that  he  would 
like  those  young  men  in  the  congregation  who  felt 
constrained  to  do  anything  for  the  cause  of  Christ, 
by  visiting  the  poor  or  otherwise,  to  attend  the 
prayer  meeting  in  the  following  week.  My  con- 
science would  not  let  me  stay  away.  The  text 
was  Jer.  xxxi.  34,  '  And  they  shall  teach  no  more 
every  man  his  neighbour,  and  every  man  his  brother, 
saying,  '  Know  the  Lord,'  &c. 

"  Mr.  Arnot  argued,  so  far  as  I  remember,  that 
until  the  prophecy  shall  have  been  fulfilled,  it  will 
be  the  duty  of  every  Christian  to  be  saying  to  his 
neighbour,  '  Know  the  Lord.' 

"  In  closing,  he  urged  all  to  do  a  little,  and 
spoke  of  the  possibility  of  some  young  man  present 
being  able  to  do  good  to  one  lad  in  a  district,  per- 
haps a  widow's  sou,  who  might  be  breaking  away 
from  his  mother's  control ;  but  the  visit  of  a  Chris- 


chap.  iv.  INITIATING  A  BEGINNER.  233 

tian  young  man,  himself  away  from  father  and 
mother,  might  save  the  lad  when  minister  or  mis- 
sionary had  failed. 

"  At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  Mr.  Arnot  requested 
those  of  us  who  could  do  anything  to  remain.  A 
missionary  society  of  some  kind  was  agreed  to  be 
formed,  called,  I  think,  St.  Peter's  Home  Mission- 
ary Society.  Mr.  Arnot  presided,  and  assisted  in 
mapping  out  districts  for  those  who  were  to  visit. 
One  Avas  allotted  to  me.  I  had  not  spoken  except 
to  give  my  name  when  called  for ;  but  now  I  was 
getting  afraid,  and  began  to  plead  that  I  did  not 
know  how  to  visit.  The  meeting  closed,  however, 
and  I  was  to  be  a  visitor.  Mr.  Arnot  came  up  to 
me  and  spoke  encouragingly ;  took  me  by  the  hand 
and  led  me  to  the  street,  down  Oswald  Street,  and 
along  Broomielaw  to  Robertson  Street,  up  a  long 
dark  court,  where  behind  the  houses  fronting  the 
street  we  found  a  second  row.  The  bells  were 
ringing  ten  o'clock ;  the  moon  at  that  moment 
shone  out  from  behind  a  dark  cloud.  Mr.  Arnot 
stood,  and,  still  holding  me  by  the  hand,  pointed 
to  a  great  '  land '  of  houses  which  towered  high 
above  us.  '  Now,  A.,  this  will  be  your  district.' 
That  was  my  first  introduction  to  missionary 
work." 

About  the  same  time  the  following  address  was 
drawn  up  by  Mr.  Arnot,  and  circulated  in  the 
district  : — 


23 i  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  iv. 

"  An  affectionate  address  from  Free  St  Peter's 
Congregation  to  those  Residing  in  its 
Neighbourhood. 

'  Think  on  these  things,'  Phil.  iv.  8. 

li  Dear  Friends, — In  large  cities  like  ours,  people 
seem  to  know  little,  and  care  less,  about  their  neigh- 
bours. You  may  live  for  years  in  one  house,  and  not 
know  the  families  on  the  same  stair.  This  way  of 
keeping  at  a  distance  may  do  well  enough  for  the 
present  world,  but  it  does  not  suit  those  who  are 
chiefly  concerned  about  eternity.  It  is  not  like  Christ. 
It  is  not  like  the  disciples  of  Christ.  As  soon  as  a 
man  has  found  out  his  own  sin,  and  believed  on 
Jesus  for  the  saving  of  his  soul,  he  begins  to  be  con- 
cerned about  his  neighbours.  He  counts  himself  his 
brother's  keeper ;  and  all  within  his  reach  are  his 
brethren.  When  he  has  experienced  Christ's  love  to  his 
own  soul,  he  begins  to  love  every  one  near  him. 
Plucked  as  a  brand  from  the  burning  himself,  he 
has  great  compassion  on  those  who  are  ready  to 
perish.  Although  he  sees  them  very  hardened  in 
their  sins,  he  does  not  despise  them,  and  he  does 
not  despair  of  them,  for,  before  he  obtained  mercy, 
he  was  as  bad  as  they. 

"  We  have  been  meeting  as  a  Christian  Church 
for  a  number  of  years  in  the  heart  of  this  district. 
You  are  accustomed  to  hear  our  bell  every  Sabbath 
in  your  houses.  We  find  it  very  good  to  go  up 
to  the  house  of  God,  and  hear  of  the  way  of  sal- 


chap.  rv.  ADDRESS  TO  RESIDENTS  IN  DISTRICT.  235 

vation.  We  sometimes,  while  there,  think  with 
concern  about  those  of  our  neighbours  who  are 
not  hearing  the  joyful  sound.  In  such  a  case,  the 
Lord  whom  we  serve  would  not  be  silent.  He 
would  not  only  weep  over  a  wicked  city ;  He  would 
go  in  among  its  families  and  say,  '  Except  ye  repent 
ye  shall  perish.'  He  has  gone  to  heaven,  but  He 
has  left  it  in  charge  to  all  His  people  to  do  His 
work — and  His  work  is  to  invite  every  sinner  to 
turn  and  live.  We  feel  that  we  will  be  unfaithful 
to  our  Lord  if  we  do  not  go  into  the  houses  of 
our  neighbours  and  say,  'Except  a  man  be  born 
again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.'  We 
cannot  meet  the  Lord  on  the  great  day,  if  we 
have  not  tried  to  bring  our  fellow  sinners  with 
us  to  the  Saviour. 

"  The  minister  is  chiefly  occupied  with  the  con- 
gregation— most  of  it  from  other  parts  of  the  city — 
that  worships  in  the  church ;  but  though  he  can- 
not do  much  personally,  the  congregation  may 
do  something  for  the  district.  What  cannot  be 
done  by  one,  may  be  done  by  the  united  efforts 
of  many.  We  would  fain  indulge  the  hope  that 
this  Church  may  be  like  a  well  of  water,  whence 
others  as  well  as  ourselves  may  be  refreshed  in 
this  desert  land.  One  missionary  gives  all  his  time 
to  the  work,  and  a  considerable  number,  chiefly 
young  men,  devote  a  part  of  their  time  to  the  visita- 
tion of  the  families. 

"  Dear    friends,    we   fondly   hope   you   will   take 


236  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.        chap.  iv. 

our  visits  well.  Be  assured  we  are  not  setting 
ourselves  up  over  you.  Christ  has  taught  us  to 
count  all  men  as  brethren,  and  we  fear  that  we 
have  not  closely  walked  in  His  way.  We  fear  we 
have  not  sought  out  our  neighbours  and  cherished 
their  friendship  as  we  ought  to  have  done.  For 
anything  we  know,  there  may  be  in  some  family 
a  father  who  has  long  maintained  a  respectable 
character,  but  is  now  beginning  to  give  way  to 
temptation.  He  knows  what  is  right,  and  at  first 
feels  some  remorse  on  account  of  sin ;  but  he  has 
met  with  a  long  train  of  misfortunes ;  his  temper 
has  become  soured ;  he  is  disheartened  by  long 
neglect — nobody  cares  for  him ;  nobody  looks  near 
him.  He  is  just  on  the  point  of  giving  up  the 
struggle  in  despair,  and  plunging  into  vice.  We 
would  like  to  visit  such  a  one  ;  we  would  like  to 
tell  him  in  time  that  the  wages  of  sin  is  eternal 
death — and  tell  him,  too,  about  eternal  life,  the 
free  gift  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ.  It  may  be 
that  when  he  sees  some  one  caring  for  him  and 
his  family — sympathising  with  his  sorrows — not 
upbraiding  him  as  an  outcast,  but  counselling  him 
as  a  brother,  he  may  say  to  the  tempter,  '  Get 
thee  behind  me,  Satan.'  There  may  be  some  who, 
from  the  pressure  of  poverty  at  first,  and  other 
causes  afterwards,  have  gradually  fallen  from  the 
habit  of  attending  Church,  and  then  ceased  to 
read  the  Bible  and  to  pray  !  Our  visits — our  friendly 
conversation,    may    be    the   means   of  bringing  to 


chap.  iv.  ADDRESS  TO  RESIDENTS  IN  DISTRICT.  237 

their  memory  a  former  and  better  time,  and  re- 
kindling the  long  lost  desire  to  go  up  to  the  house 
of  God.  There  may  be  some  who  have  fears 
about  their  own  sin  and  a  judgment  to  come,  but 
who  have  never  been  clearly  taught  how  mercy 
flows  to  sinners  through  the  righteousness  of 
Christ :  it  would  be  our  delight  to  point  out  to 
them,  in  the  Scriptures,  the  way  of  eternal  life. 
There  may  be  some,  poor  in  this  world,  but  rich 
in  faith — hidden  ones — children  of  a  king,  though 
disguised  in  rags :  it  would  be  a  privilege  to  ac- 
knowledge them  as  brethren,  and  serve  the  Head 
by  showing  kindness  to  the  members. 

"  And  now,  neighbours,  since  this  little  messenger 
has  entered  your  houses,  we  should  like  that  it 
should  speak  a  plain  word  to  you  all.  What  is 
your  soul's  state  %  Whither  are  you  going  ? 
What  will  your  end  be?  You  know  that  you  are 
sinners !  that  God  the  Judge  is  righteous !  that 
sinners  deserve  to  be  cast  into  hell!  but  you  have 
heard  so  much  about  Christ  and  mercy,  that  you 
are  not  much  alarmed.  You  could  scarcely  say 
you  are  saved ;  but  you  have  an  idea  that  salvation 
is  within  your  reach — that  it  is  near  and  easy,  and 
so  you  are  kept  quiet.  Ah,  friends,  it  is  a  dreadful 
thing  when  the  very  nearness  of  salvation  just 
encourages  you  to  remain  unsaved.  What  though 
Christ  be  near,  if  you  are  not  in  Christ?  If  you 
are  still  in  your  sins — if  you  are  not  converted, 
what   will  it   be  to  you  that   there    was    so    much 


238  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap.  iv. 

said  about  mercy  ?  It  will  make  hell  more  bitter, 
the  remembrance  that  mercy  was  so  near,  and 
that  you  despised  it.  We  are  not  accusing  you  of 
any  sins.  We  do  not  know  your  sins :  the  Lord 
only  knows  them.  But  we  say,  if  you  are  living 
for  the  world,  and  not  becoming  new  creatures  in 
Christ,  there  is  nothing  but  a  breath  between  you 
and  perdition. 

"  We  do  not  need  to  come  and  tell  you  for  the 
first  time,  that  Christ,  the  Eternal  Son  of  God, 
died  for  sinners,  and  now  invites  them  to  come  to 
Him  ;  now  proclaims  to  them — '  Whosoever  will, 
let  him  come.'  Probably  you  have  all  heard  this 
before.  We  come  to  you  repeating  that  blessed 
message,  and  adding  to  it  another,  namely,  this — 
'Although  there  is  a  great  and  a  free  salvation, 
yet  if  you  neglect  it  you  must  perish.' 

"  We  would  like  to  go  to  heaven  when  we  die — 
to  go  to  heaven  as  sinners  saved  by  the  blood  of 
Christ — to  be  monuments  of  God's  mercy  for  ever. 
But  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  have  that  hope,  with- 
out desiring,  at  the  same  time,  that  you,  our 
neighbours,  should  go  with  us.  We  seek  to  do 
you  a  friend's  turn.  We  come  to  warn  you.  We 
come  sounding  an  alarm  among  you,  lest  there 
should  be  some  in  a  spiritual  slumber.  If  you 
should  die  in  sin,  and  lift  up  your  eyes  in  torment, 
it  would  be  too  late  to  warn  you  then.  Awake 
now.  Now  is  the  accepted  time :  to-morrow  may 
be  too  late.     What  we  fear  most  is,  that  you  will 


chap.  iv.  CALLS.  239 

put  off  this  warning  as  you  have  put  off  many- 
others.  We  would  not  fear  the  greatness  of  your 
sins ;  for  Christ  saves  to  the  uttermost.  We  would 
not  fear  for  your  want  of  learning  and  know- 
ledge ;  for  Christ  is  the  light  of  the  world,  and  the 
Spirit  is  sent  to  show  Him  unto  us.  We  would  not 
fear  the  greatness  of  your  need  ;  for  we  have  a  full 
Christ  for  empty  sinners  :  but  we  fear  you  will  just 
lay  down  this  page,  and  let  Christ  alone  till  a  more 
convenient  season.  We  fear  that  same  Jesus  will 
have  the  old  complaint  to  make  of  you. — '  Ye  will 
not  come  unto  me,  that  ye  might  have  life.' " 

"  'Tis  a  point  I  long  to  know  ; 

Oft  it  gives  me  anxious  thought- 
Do  I  love  the  Lord  or  no  ? 
Am  I  His,  or  am  I  not  ?" 

"St.  Peter's  Free  Chdrch,  Oswald  Street, 
July  1848." 

About  this  time  several  different  proposals  were 
made  to  remove  him  from  Glasgow,  and  each  one 
was  the  occasion  of  considerable  anxiety  to  him. 
He  seems  to  have  suspected^  with  how  much 
ground  we  do  not  know,  that  his  own  estimate  of 
his  preaching,  and  his  opinion  that  it  was  de- 
generating rather  than  improving,  was  in  some 
measure  shared  by  his  congregation,  or  at  least  by 
individual  members  of  it;  and  this  led  him  to  look 
more  favourably  on  such  invitations  than  otherwise 
he  would  have  done.  Alluding  to  this  in  a  letter 
to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Drummond  of  Forgandenny,  he 
says,  "  If  it  had  manifested  itself  by  a  falling  off  in 


240  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.        chap.  iv. 


the  attendance  at  worship,  I  think  I  would  have 
been  willing  to  accept  any  call  that  offered  a  fair 
field  to  the  labourer  during  the  remainder  of  his 
life ;  but  as  this  is  not  the  case,  there  is  nothing 
pressing  me  to  remove  from  this  place.  In  these 
circumstances,  I  could  only  consent  to  remove  if  the 
call  should  seem  to  have  a  preponderating  weight." 

On  the  subject  of  faithfully  weighing  opposing 
claims,  and  being  willing  to  go  or  stay,  as  seems 
to  be  God's  will,  he  writes  thus  to  Dr.  Charles 
J.  Brown : — 

" ....     In  my   younger   years,  I  kept  back 
from  the  Lord  a  part  of  myself  and  my  services, 
and   the   keeping    of   it  was  torture.     He  did  blow 
upon  it.     I  would  serve  Christ ;  but  I  determined 
that  it  must  be  at  home.     I  was  sometimes  afraid 
to    go   to    a   missionary  meeting,  lest  I  should   be 
convinced    that    I    ought    to    be    a    missionary.      I 
have,  in  a  great  measure,  got  over   that   tempta- 
tion now.     Certainly  not  altogether  by  an  increased 
willingness  to  be  at  the  disposal  of  the  Lord,  but 
partly  by  observing,  in   the   progress  of  life,   that 
there   is  not  so  much  difference   between   a   home 
and  foreign  sphere  as  I  had  imagined.     And  now, 
when  the  foe  is  conquered,  I  find  a  second  line  of 
the  enemy  lying  in  reserve,  and  a  new  conflict  as 
severe   awaiting   me.     When   old  Adam  no   longer 
insists  on  keeping  to  himself  wholly  the  choice  of 
the   bounds    of  habitation, — he    has,    indeed,    let    it 
go  ;  but  he  continues  to  claim  to  himself  the  credit 


DEA  TH  OF  HIS  SISTER.  241 


before  men  of  the  disinterestedness, — will  not  be 
contented  with  the  approval  of  Him  who  seeth  in 
secret ;  but  makes  a  great  ado  if  the  world  will  not 
give  him  a  bond  in  full  of  all  demands  on  that  score. 
"  But  I  am  not  always  gloomy.  I  have  some- 
times some  gleams  of  comfort  in  '  Thy  will  be  done,' 
'  I  being  in  the  way  the  Lord  led  me.'  Kind  re- 
gards to  Mrs.  Brown, — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

diary. 

"  July  1848. — Since  last  entry  the  event  that  has 
come  nearest  my  own  heart  is  the  death  of  my  dear 
sister  Margaret.  She  died  suddenly.  The  illness 
lasted  a  few  weeks,  but  her  family  were  not  alarmed 
till  very  near  the  end.  I  was  absent  in  Liverpool 
when  I  heard  of  her  illness.  When  I  reached  Glas- 
gow, I  found  an  intimation  of  her  death.  She  died 
on  17th  April  1848.  She  was  a  long-established 
Christian.  She  expected  death  herself,  though  her 
friends  did  not.  She  set  her  house  in  order,  and, 
resigning  herself  to  the  Lord,  died  in  peace. 

"  15th  Oct.  1848. — This  day  I  gave  over  my  second 
child  to  God  in  baptism.  Dr.  Henderson  came  in 
after  his  own  worship  to  conduct  the  baptismal 
service.  Some  glimpses  of  hope  and  joy  in  cleav- 
ing to  the  Lord  for  the  infant.  We  called  the  child 
Margaret,  the  name  of  my  mother.  My  mother  was 
a  disciple.     Though  she  died  when  I  was  an  infant, 

Q 


242  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  iv. 

I  firmly  believe  I  am  enjoying  to  this  hour  the 
answer  to  her  prayers.  Her  daughter,  who  had  the 
same  name,,  was  also  a  disciple.  Oh  !  that  my  little 
Margaret  may  be  the  possessor  of  a  like  precious 
faith.  If  she  and  I  live  together  till  she  come  to 
the  years  of  understanding,  I  must  tell  her  of  her 
aunt  and  grandmother,  and  how  she  was  named  after 
them,  in  the  hope  and  with  the  prayer  that  she  might 
follow  their  footsteps  over  earth  and  into  glory. 

"About  a  fortnight  ago  I  finished  the  visitation 
of  the  whole  congregation  within  the  year.  This  is 
a  great  comfort.  Besides  what  word  I  was  enabled 
to  speak  from  time  to  time  in  the  families,  I  have 
derived  from  it  a  certain  standing  and  authority, 
which  may  give  more  effect  to  the  public  ministry. 

"26th  Nov.  1848. — In  some  respects  the  ministry 
is  more  hopeful  at  present.  Considerable  liberty 
generally  in  preaching.  A  few  seem  to  have 
learned  the  way,  and  they  have  been  at  least 
helped  by  the  Sabbath's  ministry. 

"  The  cholera  is  gradually  spreading  in  the  city. 
I  experience  at  times  a  considerable  degree  of  fear. 
I  hope  it  has  not  been  altogether  profitless  to  my 
spiritual  state.  I  have  felt  some  glimpses  of  hope 
that  Christ  is  mine ;  and  that  He  will  take  away 
the  terror  of  death  when  it  is  near.  Those  who  die 
of  cholera  have  a  stormy  passage  over,  but  it  is 
short.  I  do  desire  to  be  in  such  a  state  that  I 
would  calmly  let  my  time  lie  in  God's  hands.  How 
sweet  to  my  soul  it  would  be,  and  how  glorifying 


chap.  iv.  CHOLERA.  243 

to  God,  if,  in  prospect  of  death.  I  could  give  up  all 
cheerfully,  and  depart  in  peace.  I  fear  if  I  were 
called  to  die  now,  I  would  bring  shame  upon  my 
Lord  by  a  slavish  terror  and  a  desperate  cleaving  to 
life.  This  is  my  present  fear,  but  I  know  He  is  not 
wont  to  give  dying  grace  till  a  dying  hour.  He 
knows  it  is  not  safe  to  trust  me  with  a  treasure 
which  I  do  not  immediately  need.  He  knows  it  is 
necessary  to  keep  me  from  hand  to  mouth. 

"21st  Sept.  1849. — The  last  winter  was  a  dreary 
time  in  Glasgow.  For  several  months  the  cholera 
ravaged  the  city.  For  a  time  every  morning  we 
heard  of  the  death  of  some  person  we  knew,  and 
who  had  been  well  on  the  previous  day.  My  health 
was  very  feeble.  I  now  know  that  I  had  been 
labouring  under  a  serious  derangement  of  the 
stomach.  I  was  very  often  sick,  and  exposed  to 
painful  apprehensions.  I  was  in  a  poor  shattered 
state,  and  very  timid;  and  yet,  surely  the  Lord 
blessed  to  me  the  fears  and  the  weakness." 

Two  little  manuals  for  Sabbath  school  teachers 
were  published  in  the  end  of  1847 — one  a  series 
of  selected  Scripture  lessons  for  a  period  of  three 
years,  with  explanatory  notes,  the  other,  entitled 
"Suggestions  on  Sabbath  School  Teaching  in  its 
Principles  and  Practice,  addressed  especially  to 
Younger  Teachers,"  contained  the  substance  of  a 
lecture  addressed  to  the  Sabbath  School  Union  some 
time  before,  and  was  published  at  their  request. 


244  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.        chap.  iv. 

The  following  is  by  an  old  member  of  St.  Peter's, 
of  whose  notes  we  have  already  made  considerable 
use. 

"  When  I  became  a  teacher  in  1845,  they  were  in 
the  last  year  of  a  three  years'  course  of  lessons  pre- 
pared by  Mr.  Arnot,  with  notes  for  the  teachers.  I 
understood  that  Mr.  Arnot  had  also  met  with  the 
teachers  once  a  week,  and  gone  over  the  lessons 
more  fully ;  but  when  I  joined  he  was  leaving  on  his 
first  visit  to  America.  He  followed  up  these  lessons 
by  a  very  valuable  lecture,  delivered  at  the  request 
of  the  Glasgow  Sabbath  School  Union,  a  few  days 
before  leaving  for  America.  It  was  published  at 
request  of  the  Union  in  1847,  under  the  title  of 
'  Suggestions  on  Sabbath  School  Teaching  in  its 
Principles  and  Practice,  addressed  specially  to  the 
Younger  Teachers.'  Between  the  time  of  its  delivery 
and  publication  in  Glasgow,  it  was  delivered  and 
published  in  Montreal  at  the  request  of  the  Sabbath 
School  Union  there.  The  prefatory  note  to  the 
copy  I  have  is  dated  '  Montreal,  September  10th, 
1845 ; '  and  Mr,  Arnot  once  showed  me  a  copy 
published  in  an  Australian  periodical  for  the  benefit 
of  the  teachers  there.  For  many  years  St.  Peter's 
Society  put  a  copy  of  it  into  the  hands  of  every 
teacher  when  admitted.  A  few  years  before  Mr. 
Arnot  left  Glasgow  he  resumed  the  weekly  meeting 
with  the  teachers  for  going  over  the  lesson. 

"For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Arnot  preached  an 
annual  sermon  to  the  scholars 


chap.  iv.  SABBA  TH  SCHOOLS.  245 

"  Mr.  Arnot  frequently  attended  and  took  the  chair 
at  the  monthly  business  meetings  of  the  Sabbath 
School  Society. 

"  The  following  copy  memorandum  will  show  the 
interest  he  took  in  the  work,  and  his  strong  desire 
to  assist  in  it.  It  is  dated  Tuesday,  but  I  have 
jotted  on  the  back  of  it,  '  September  1855.' 

"  '  Mr.  Arnot  cannot  conveniently  be  present  at  the 
meeting  this  evening. 

" '  1.  In  planning  his  work  for  the  season,  he  is  dis- 
posed to  dedicate  his  class  evening  to  the  Sabbath 
school  work,  and  the  Sabbath  school  teachers  pre- 
sent and  prospective,  if  there  is  any  opening  for  his 
services. 

" '  2.  Some  regular  and  appointed  visitation  of  the 
schools  on  the  Sabbath  would  be  a  relief  rather  than 
a  burden  to  him ;  inasmuch  as  when  he  visits  a 
school,  he  either  goes  off  again  before  the  close,  in 
order  not  to  interfere  with  the  superintendent,  or 
conducts  the  exercise  under  more  or  less  of  the  im- 
pression that  he  has  permitted  a  preparation  to  be 
made,  and  then  interfered  with  its  outcome.  One 
Sabbath  a  month — any  one  of  the  month — might  be 
arranged,  and  this  does  not  prevent  something  more, 
if  it  was  found  desirable. 

"  '  3.  Mr.  Arnot  is  most  heartily  willing  that  any 
arrangement  agreeable  to  the  parties  may  be  made 
for  the  improvement  of  either  the  whole  or  any 
particular  section  of  the  teachers — the  more  of  that 
the   better.     He   thinks   there   can   be   no   error  in 


246  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  jv. 


excess — if  only  all  understood  each  other  and  there 
be  no  rivalries — not  even  the  appearance  of  it. 

"  '  The  above  to  be  communicated  either  bodily  or 
partly,  or  the  sense  of  it,  according  as  may  appear 
best.'" 


CHAPTER   V. 

GT.  PETER'S  congregation  was  not,  like  many- 
others,  ejected  from  their  place  of  worship  im- 
mediately at  the  Disruption.  The  church  belonged 
to  the  Church  Building  Society,  and  continued,  until 
the  commencement  of  the  year  1849,  to  be  used  by 
the  Free  Church  congregation,  they  paying  to  the 
Society  a  yearly  rent  of  £100.  As  early  as  in 
the  beginning  of  1847,  however,  the  deacons'  court 
had  considered  it  advisable  to  procure  a  site,  to 
be  in  readiness  for  a  new  church  and  schools, 
and  to  commence  at  once  to  build  the  schools. 
These  schools  were  considered  by  the  deacons' 
court  to  be  "absolutely  necessary,  if  the  con- 
gregation is  to  do  anything  like  the  duty  re- 
quired of  it  for  the  spiritual  good  of  the  district." 
They  were  commenced  first  because  the  present 
congregational  schools  were  admittedly  the  pro- 
perty of  the  Established  Church,  while  there  was 
still  some  doubt  as  to  the  possession  of  the 
church  itself. 

247 


248  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap.  v. 

In  February  1849,  by  a  decision  of  the  Court  of 
Session,  the  congregation,  along  with  others  simi- 
larly situated,  were  formally  ejected  from  their  place 
of  worship,  which  was  declared  to  be  the  property  of 
the  Established  Church. 

Here  is  Mr.  Arnot's  account  of  the  matter,  in  a 
letter  to  the  Montreal  Witness,  dated  8th  March 
1849. 

"There  were  in  Glasgow  and  its  neighbourhood 
some  fourteen  or  fifteen  new  churches  that  the 
Free  Church  congregations  continued  to  possess, 
believing  that  they  had  legal  title  to  the  property 
that  had  been  built  with  their  own  money.  While 
they  kept  possession,  they  raised  an  action  to  have 
the  property  divided  on  principles  of  equity ;  to 
get  a  decree  from  the  Court  that  the  churches 
might  all  be  sold,  and  that  Establishment  and 
Free  Church  should  get  their  money  restored  in 
proportion  to  their  contributions.  The  case  was 
decided  about  ten  days  ago  in  the  House  of 
Lords,  and  the  decision  gave  all  the  churches  ex- 
clusively to  the  Establishment.  In  consequence  of 
the  decision,  thirteen  congregations  (twelve  of 
them  in  Glasgow)  took  leave  of  their  churches  on 
Sabbath  week.  On  Sabbath  last  these  churches 
were  all  shut  and  silent,  while  the  congregations 
found  temporary  accommodation  elsewhere.  Dif- 
ferent people,  of  course,  take  different  views  of 
the   merits ;    but   the    event   has   produced   a   con- 


chap.  v.  FREE  CHURCH  MEETING.  249 

siderable  impression  on  the  city.  The  prevailing 
remark  is:  What  is  the  Establishment  to  do  with 
fourteen  empty  churches,  besides  those  that  they 
already  have  1  Besides  others  long  shut  and  going 
to  ruin,  two  of  them  in  Glasgow  have  this  winter 
come  to  a  dead  stand.  One  of  them  is  for  sale, 
and  one  of  the  Free  Church  congregations  is  in* 
terms  with  its  managers  for  a  temporary  lease  of 
the  empty  building.  As  to  the  Free  Church  con- 
gregations, they  are  proceeding  briskly  to  the  task 
of  erecting  new  churches.  But,  meanwhile,  it  is  a 
grief  to  all  who  love  the  Lord,  to  observe  the 
scandal  to  religion  that  this  whole  action  involves. 
The  Establishment  obviously  have  no  use  for  the 
churches,  yet  they  would  not  listen  to  an  amicable 
compromise  and  division  of  the  property.  What 
is  in  the  bond  %  what  says  the  law  ?  was  their 
only  answer. 

"  The  Free  Church  people  held  a  meeting  on 
Thursday  last  in  the  City  Hall.  It  would  have 
been  vastly  curious  to  a  foreigner  to  observe  the 
defeated  party  in  a  great  lawsuit  meet  in  many 
thousands,  and  hold  a  jubilant  assembly  to  tell  of 
their  loss.  And  in  vain  would  he  inquire,  Where 
do  the  victors  hold  their  meeting  to  glory  in  their 
success  %  No  such  meeting.  There  could  not  be 
anything  like  such  a  happy,  harmonious  meeting 
of  the  successful  as  there  was  of  the  defeated 
party.  As  a  mark  of  the  interest  which  the  Free 
Church  meeting  excited,   I   may  mention  that    the 


250  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  v. 

newspaper  that  reported  it  sold   to  the  amount  of 
1300  copies  above  its  usual  circulation." 

DIARY. 

"  1849. — We  were  ejected  from  our  church  in 
the  spring  of  this  year.  During  the  spring  months 
•we  worshipped  in  the  City  Hall,  Anderston  con- 
gregation assembling  with  us.  My  strength,  which 
had  previously  been  reduced,  was  restored  as  if  for 
the  work.  We  had  many  hopeful  meetings,  among 
which  the  Communion  Sabbath  is  to  be  remem- 
bered. During  the  summer  we  have  occupied  old 
Albion  Chapel,  but  go  back  to  the  City  Hall  for 
the  winter.'' 

Meanwhile  the  work  on  the  new  church  was  pro- 
ceeding vigorously,  and  it  was  ready  for  occupation 
by  the  following  summer. 

The  following  letters  relate  to  the  subject  of 
toast-drinking  at  ordination  dinners,  a  custom 
which  he  strenuously  opposed  whenever  opportu- 
nity occurred.  The  first  is  to  the  editor  of  the 
Montreal    Witness. 

"Glasgow,  2d  June  1848. 

"  Dear  Sir,— 

"  .  .  .  .  One  other  point.  Perhaps  the  most 
outrageous  of  all  the  habits  connected  with  drink- 
ing,  is   toasting   religious    objects   in   meetings  for 

religious  purposes I   am  glad  to  say  that 

dinners    with    drinking    and    toasts   by  Presbyters, 


chap.  v.  TOAST  DRINKING.  251 

on  the  occasion  of  the  induction  of  a  minister,  are 
going  out  of  fashion.  I  have  in  my  possession  a 
letter  written  by  a  minister  two  years  ago.  in 
answer  to  an  invitation  to  such  a  dinner  given  by 
the  office-bearers  of  a  congregation.  I  shall  send 
you  a  copy,  that  you  may  make  what  use  of  it 
you  like. 

" '  27th  April  1846. 

" '  My  dear  Sir, — I  received  on  Saturday  your 
kind  note  enclosing  an  invitation  to  the  dinner 
to  be  given  on  occasion  of  the  induction.  Here- 
with I  send  the  ticket,  and  herewith  too  my 
best  thanks  for  your  kind  invitation. 

■' '  I  think  it  is  right  to  state  that  it  is  from 
public  reasons  that  I  decline  to  be  present  at  the 
dinner.  I  strongly  disapprove  of  induction  dinners. 
I  do  not  know  how  yours  will  be  conducted.  I 
can  judge  of  them  only  by  reports  that  I  see  in 
newspapers,  and  by  those  (only  two,  so  far 
as  I  remember)  that  I  have  attended.  One  of 
these  was  on  occasion  of  my  own  ordination.  It 
made  me  very  miserable.  An  evening  of  toast- 
drinking  was  very  incongruous  with  my  feelings  at 
that  time.  I  may  be  in  error;  I  am  open  to  con- 
viction on  the  point;  but  I  have  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  induction  dinner  is  a  wile  of  the 
devil,  to  get  good  men  otherwise  employed  on  that 
very  evening  of  their  life,  when  they  would  be 
most    likely   to    do    damage    to    his    kingdom   by 


252  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  v. 

giving  themselves  to  prayer.  There  is  another 
reason  that  weighs  heavily  with  me :  the  state  of 
society,  the  prevalence  of  drunkenness,  and  the 
duty  in  these  circumstances,  lying  with  awful  re- 
sponsibility on  the  Church,  to  avoid  not  only  the 
evil,  but  the  appearance  of  evil.  So  strongly  do  I 
feel  on  this  subject,  that  if  I  can  get  any  oppor- 
tunity, when  the  Presbytery  are  alone,  I  shall  call 
the  attention  of  the  brethren  to  the  subject,  and 
state  my  views  on  it,  especially  requesting  that 
those  who  may  be  present  at  the  dinner,  shall 
take  care  to  make  it  evident  that  they  are  there 
only  in  their  individual  capacity.  As  I  observe, 
it  is  quite  common  on  these  occasions  to  see  an 
intimation  in  the  newspapers  to  the  effect  that  the 
congregation  entertained  the  Presbytery  to  dinner. 
I  hope  this  will  be  avoided.  You  will,  of  course, 
understand  that  all  this  is  on  public  grounds,  and 
that,  with  the  utmost  possible  respect  and  esteem, — 
I  am,  yours.' 

"  The  writer  got  a  thump  or  two  from  various 
quarters  for  his  incivility,  but  he  bears  the  blows 
very  cheerfully,  seeing  that  though  a  number  of 
ministers  have  been  ordained  and  inducted  by  the 
same  Presbytery  since  that  date,  he  is  not  aware 
that  in  any  of  them  has  there  been  any  toddy  or 
wine  to  toast  the  minister  success.  This  monstrous 
practice  is  decidedly  on  the  wane." 

Though   on   the   wane,    the  practice   was   by  no 


chap.  v.  ORDINA  TION  DINNERS.  253 

means  yet  abolished,  and  many  more  blows  were 
given  and  received  in  the  same  cause.  Probably 
a  greater  proportion  of  ministers  and  professing 
Christians  would  agree  with  him  now  than  at  that 
time. 

To  Rev.  Dr.  M'Farlane,  Renfrew. 

"  Glasgow,  \§ih  December  1848. 
"My  DEAR  Sir, — I  do  not  know  whether  you 
may  have  observed  from  the  Guardian  that  I 
propose  to  introduce,  in  the  Presbytery,  the 
subject  of  drinking  toasts  on  the  occasion  of 
induction  or  ordination  of  a  minister.  It  is  very 
difficult.  Brethren  have  expressed  very  strong 
disapprobation  of  my  notice.  I  hope,  however,  I 
shall  be  enabled  to  go  on  with  it,  for  I  never 
was  more  clearly  convinced  of  a  duty.  Necessity 
was  laid  upon  me  by  the  publication  of  the  proceed- 
ings at  Chryston.  I  am  constrained  to  advertise  out, 
although  there  were  no  higher  motive.  Some 
brethren  tell  me  that  they  think  there  should  not 
be  toasts  on  such  occasions,  but  that  I  ought  to  have 
spoken  of  it  privately.  My  justification  is,  that  I 
have  tried  privately  for  a  series  of  years,  and  in 
the  course  of  them  have  met  with  some  hard  re- 
buffs ;  and,  moreover,  the  injury  is  done  publicly. 
It  is  reported,  in  our  own  friendly  and  faithful 
organ,  all  over  the  world,  that  the  'Presbytery 
sat  down  to  diuner'  immediatelv  after  the  ordina- 


254  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.         chap.  v. 

tion,  and  that  sixteen  toasts  went  round.  I  cannot 
and  will  not  lie  under  this,  without  making  as  public 
my  disclaimer.  And  I  still  think  it  more  respectful 
and  brotherly  to  ask  the  brethren  to  consider  the 
practice  and  abandon  it,  than  to  write  a  letter  in 
the  newspaper  intimating  that  I  disapproved  of  it, 
and  shook  off  the  responsibility  from  myself. 

"But  my  object  in  writing  to  you  is  to  say,  that 
I  remember  the  Synod  passed  a  report  or  resolution 
in  which  'drinking  customs'  are  distinctly  con- 
demned, and  to  ask  you  if  you  can  give  me  that 
report,  or  set  me  in  the  way  of  getting  it. 

"Is  there  any  record  of  the  manner  of  our  fathers 
in  the  matter  of  ordination  ?  or  the  date  of  the 
commencement  of  toasts,  or  the  quarter  whence 
they  were  imported  %  My  excuse  for  troubling 
you  is  the  greatness  of  the  cause,  in  which  I 
know  you  are  deeply  interested. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

We  do  not  know  whether  the  matter  was,  at 
this  time,  discussed  in  the  Presbytery  or  not.  If 
it  was,  not  much  was  effected  thereby ;  for  he  felt 
compelled  to  renew  the  subject  a  few  years  later, 
when  the  controversy  which  ensued  was  long  and 
bitter,  and  left  one  at  least  of  the  combatants  sore 
broken  and  wounded.  A  copy  of  a  pamphlet  pub- 
lished by  Mr.  Arnot  in  self-defence  was  found 
among  his  papers  after  his  death,  with  the  follow- 
ing   note   on   the    title-page:    "Eecord  of  a   great 


chap.  v.  TOTAL  ABSTINENCE  SOCIETY.  255 

conflict ;  not  a  conflict  without  but  one  within. 
It  was  easy  to  overcome  my  adversary,  but  hard  to 
overcome  myself."  The  last  sentence  of  the  intro- 
ductory paragraph  contains  this  expression :  "  It 
is  easier  to  print  precepts  about  temperance  on 
the  outside  of  a  pamphlet,  than  to  obey  them 
in  the  inside  of  it." 

The  commencement,  in  the  summer  of  1849,  of 
the  Free  Church  Total  Abstinence  Society,  under 
the  zealous  leadership  of  Mr.  Douglas  of  Cupar- 
Fife,  was  hailed  by  Mr.  Arnot  as  a  step  in  the 
right  direction ;  and  he  gave  it,  from  the  first,  his 
hearty  support  and  co-operation. 

To  John  Douglas,  Esq.,  Cupar-Fife. 

"  Glasgow,  23d  June  1849. 

"Dear  Sir, — I  have  now  seen  the  resolutions  in 
a  printed  form,  and  I  hereby  authorise  you  to 
adhibit  my  name  to  them,  to  be  used  for  those 
preliminary  purposes  that  were  mentioned  at  the 
meeting.  I  have  doubts  on  some  of  the  points; 
but  as  the  society  is  not  yet  definitely  formed, 
and  as  I  do  approve  of  the  resolutions  in  the  main, 
I  think  it  my  duty  at  this  stage  of  the  proceed- 
ings to  make  that  approval  known. 

"  The  name  '  Abstinence  Society,'  and  the  use 
of  total  and  totally  in  other  parts,  are  some  of 
the  minor  matters  that  I  have  a  doubt  upon.  I 
shall  hope,  however,  to  be  present  when  the  society 


256  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  v. 

is  actually  formed,  and  then  either  I  may  adopt 
the  view  of  the  brethren,  or  induce  them  to  adopt 
mine.  I  have  also  a  hesitation  on  a  point  which 
I  know  is  considered  vital.  I  mean  the  totality 
of  the  abstinence — not  the  name  merely,  but  the 
thing.  However,  I  do  not  press  these,  and  I  agree 
to  the  resolutions  as  a  preliminary  measure. — I 
am,  yours,  William  Arnot." 


To  John  Douglas,  Esq., 
Secretary,  Free  Church  Abstinence  Society. 

"  Glasgow,  29th  October   1849. 

"My  dear  Sir, — I  do  not  expect  to  be  at  the 
meeting  in  Edinburgh  to-morrow;  and  as  a  small 
army  like  ours,  with  such  a  battle  before  us,  cannot 
afford  to  want  even  a  single  rank  and  file  at  the 
muster,  I  think  it  my  duty  to  send  this  my  proxy, 
authorising  you  to  give  my  vote  for  progress  in  the 
good  cause.  I  do  not  think  my  presence  would  be 
of  much  use  in  a  private  meeting  of  friends  for  con- 
sultation on  details ;  but  I  hope  to  be  able,  in  due 
time,  to  take  part  in  the  labour.  I  send  herewith  the 
draft  of  the  rules,  which  reached  me  this  morning, 
with  some  notes  on  the  margin,  which  you  must 
take  for  what  they  are  worth. 

"  The  list  of  thirty-three  ministers  made  my  heart 
glad.  I  experienced  something  of  the  feeling  of  that 
ancient  ship's  company,  who,  when   a  ray  of  hope 


chap.  v.     PROPOSED  TEMPERANCE  TRACTS.  257 

beamed  through  a  long  night  of  doubt,  '  thanked 
God  and  took  courage.'  I  hope  everything  will 
continue  to  be  done  decently  and  in  order.  We 
must  be  unassailable,  irreproachable,  on  every  side. 
We  must  leave  no  loose  joint  in  our  harness  at  which 
the  arrow  of  the  enemy  might  penetrate  and  wound 
us.  It  is  peculiarly  necessary,  in  our  place  and  with 
our  difficulties,  to  be  prudent  and  charitable.  I 
don't  mean  to  counsel  softness  in  dealing  with  the 
abominations  of  drinking  habits.  I  need  not  counsel 
what  I  am  incapable  of  practising.  I  mean  that  we 
should  depend  on  the  sureness  and  sharpness  of  the 
edge  rather  than  on  the  mere  boisterousness  of  the 
blow.  For  my  own  part,  I  can  give  no  quarter  to 
the  absurdities  that  still  prevail  in  society  in  connec- 
tion with  strong  drink ;  but  I  have  seen  so  much  of 
clinging  to  them  among  worthy  people,  that  I  have 
learned  to  look  upon  the  subject  with  some  degree 
of  melancholy,  and  to  fear  lest  my  efforts  should 
stir  up  their  prejudice  instead  of  turning  them  from 
their  error. 

"As  to  practical  measures,  I  would  have,  among 
the  first,  a  tract — brief,  pungent,  solemn,  kind — 
addressed  chiefly  to  ministers  on  the  subject  of 
ordination  toasts;  and,  if  possible,  a  copy  put  in 
the  hands  of  every  minister  of  the  Free  Church. 
Another  of  a  similar  character  addressed  to  heads  of 
families,  with  special  reference  to  the  practice  of 
giving  strong  drink  to  domestics  and  workmen.  A 
third  addressed  to  young  men,  with  the  view  of  dis- 
R 


258  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  v. 

suading  them  from  ever  entering  a  public-house  and 
sitting  down  to  drink.  So  on  with  other  branches. 
I  think  some  good  might  be  done  by  an  abstinence 
sermon  from  a  Free  Church  minister,  and  in  a  Free 
Church,  on  suitable  occasions,  in  the  various  large 
towns.  Such  a  thing  would  be  new  to  the  most 
respectable  of  our  people,  who  seem  to  put  temper- 
ance sermons  in  the  next  category  to  Chartist 
meetings. 

"  But  I  need  not  enter  into  particulars.  I  leave 
the  arrangements  to  those  who  may  be  present  at 
the  meeting.  I  write  for  the  purpose  of  taking  my 
share  of  the  honour  and  the  danger  of  making  the 
attempt. 

"  I  should  mention  that  I  was  confined  during  the 
sittings  of  the  Synod,  not  able  to  attend  any  of  its 
meetings,  and  so  did  nothing  for  the  society. — 
Yours,  William  Arnot." 

DIARY. 

"  28th  December  1849. — Have  read,  during  these 
few  days,  nearly  the  whole  of  the  first  volume  of 
Dr.  Chalmers'  '  Memoir.'  Much  to  interest  and  in- 
struct. In  the  time  and  manner  of  his  conversion 
there  is  a  manifest  fitting  of  means  to  ends.  He 
was  being  prepared  as  an  instrument  for  the  Mas- 
ter's use.  Feel  rebuked,  not  only  in  the  matter  of 
study,  but  even  more  in  the  matter  of  prayer.  Most 
marvellous,  after  all,  to  find  that  a  man  in  whom  the 
intellectual  seemed  so  much  to  preponderate,  was 


chap.v.  NEW  CHURCH  COMPLETED.  259 

so  eminently  a  man  of  prayer.  I  find  in  his  experi- 
ence, his  constitution,  and  temperament,  more  that 
coincides  with  my  own  than  perhaps  in  any  other 
biography.  The  mixture  of  modesty  and  secret  love 
of  praise  seems  often  just  a  transcript  from  my  own 
heart.  I  find  I  have  the  same  dangerous  enemy 
within,  and,  alas !  evidently  not  the  praying  always 
wherewith  he  met  and  opposed  it. 

"  26th  January  1850. — Very  prayerless  in  spirit. 
It  is  a  dreadful  thought,  when  one  is  at  all  quickened, 
to  think  that  the  Spirit  of  prayer  may  be  grieved  by 
neglect,  and  a  man  may  kneel,  and  think,  and  strive, 
and  yet  be  unable  to  pray.  Lord  leave  me  not  nor 
forsake  me." 

The  great  event  of  1850  was  the  completion  of  the 
new  church  in  Main  Street.  Mr.  Arnot  had  watched 
the  erection  with  much  interest  through  all  its 
stages,  being  almost  daily  on  the  spot.  When  the 
spire  was  nearly  finished,  he  went  to  the  top  in  the 
hoist  used  for  raising  the  stones.  He  was  pleased 
with  everything  about  the  new  church  except  the 
pulpit,  of  which  he  said  that  the  one  thing  he  had 
asked  of  the  architect  was  the  one  thing  he  did  not 
get — namely,  a  low  pulpit.  The  church  was  opened 
for  public  worship  in  May,  Dr.  Hamilton  preaching 
the  opening  sermon. 

"  12th  May  1850. — Still  great  numbers  attending 
the   worship   in  the   City   Hall.      Some    liberty   in 


260  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  v. 

preaching.  Health  good.  Next  Sabbath  we  expect 
to  be  our  last  in  the  hall.  Oar  own  church  is  to  be 
ready  on  the  26th.  James  Hamilton  to  preach  fore- 
noon and  evening.  I  desire  to  be  glad  and  thankful. 
If  I  could  get  a  whole  day  for  meditation  and 
humiliation  and  prayer,  previous  to  opening,  I  would 
have  some  hope  that  through  that  means  I  would 
get  a  blessing  from  the  Lord.  I  seem  to  want  this 
very  much.  I  begin  to  feel  a  deadness  in  preaching 
and  other  exercises,  and  I  dread  the  increase  of 
this  as  I  increase  in  years.  How  good  it  is  to  be 
kept  fresh  and  flourishing  even  in  olcl  age." 

"  24th  June. — The  church  was  opened,  as  intended, 
on  the  26th  May.  Mr.  Hamilton  preached  faithfully 
yet  very  sweetly  on  '  Look  unto  me  and  be  ye 
saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth.'  I  preached  in  the 
afternoon  on  David's  dancing  before  the  Lord  and 
Michal  despising  him.  Mr.  Hamilton  in  the  even- 
ing on  '  The  kingdom  of  God  is  righteousness,  and 
peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.'  Congregation 
very  large  all  the  day ;  and  there  is  hope  that  it 
may  not  have  been  altogether  unprofitable.  The 
church  is  very  beautiful  and  very  comfortable.  I 
have  much  cause  for  thankfulness  that  so  convenient 
and  commodious  a  temple  has  been  reared.  In 
many  respects,  the  ejection  has  been  ordered  for 
good." 

The  following  are  some  of  the  closing  sentences  of 
Dr.  Hamilton's  forenoon  sermon. 


chap.  v.  OPENING  SERVICES.  261 

"  Sixteen  years  have  now  passed  away  since  I 
worshipped  in  the  congregations  of  Glasgow,  and 
studied  at  its  College.  That  interval  has  been  long 
enough  to  scatter  over  the  earth,  or  expatriate  from 
their  native  planet,  most  of  those  who  made  the  joy 
and  the  impulse  of  those  remote  and  romantic  years. 
And  now,  when,  a  stranger,  I  pace  your  street,  my 
communings  are  mainly  with  Glasgow  underground. 
.  .  .  .  But  amidst  the  many  whose  place  knows 
them  no  more,  it  is  a  gladness  to  recognise,  still 
fraught  with  youthful  energy,  and  radiant  with  the 
light  of  departed  days,  the  congenial  pupil  of  Mylne 
and  Sandford,  the  favourite  of  Macgill,  the  bosom 
friend,  and  alas  !  the  biographer  of  Halley ;  and  it  is 
a  comfort  to  think  that  amidst  the  early  crush  of 
youthful  energy  and  ardour,  there  still  remains  to 
bless  the  Church  and  adorn  his  foster  city,  one 
representative  of  our  Alma  Mater  in  her  palmiest 
growth.  And  still  more  cheering  is  it,  knowing  that 
his  genial  vigour,  his  ripe  scholarship,  his  fresh  and 
exhaustless  fancy,  his  warm  affection  and  manly 
prowess,  have  all  been  laid  at  the  feet  of  Jesus, 
and  to  know  that  his  theology,  so  massive  and 
mature,  his  presentations  of  truth,  so  vivid  and 
original,  and  his  piety,  so  genuine  and  so  wholesome, 
have  gathered  round  him  a  congregation  so  large, 
so  influential,  so  receptive  of  his  ministry,  so  ready 
to  second  his  labours  of  love. 

"  And  now  that  the  day  has  come  when  a  new  and 
stately   sanctuary    receives    you,    my   eager    fancy 


2G2  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  v. 


would  pourtray,  and  my  fondest  prayers  would 
supplicate,  a  bright  and  blissful  future.  As  com- 
panions in  the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ, 
I  know  that  the  Free  Church  pastor  and  the  Free 
Church  flock  are  dearer  to  one  another,  than  the 
minister  and  members  whom  an  Established  Church 
presbytery  joined  together  twelve  years  ago.  .  . 
May  the  Lord  whom  you  seek,  soon  come  to  this 
temple,  and  signalise  it  by  the  consecration  of 
his  beauteous  feet.  Like  the  sparrow  which  hath 
already  here  found  a  house,1  may  many  a  loving 
worshipper  here  build  his  spirit's  rest  and  here  find 
his  Sabbath  home.  May  little  histories  soon  begin 
to  cluster  round  these  pillars,  and  sacred  endear- 
ments to  line  these  pews  ;  and  when  the  raw  aspect 
of  this  morning  is  succeeded  by  russet  age — when 
the  carved  work  crumbles  and  the  iron  columns  bow, 
and  when  local  courts  decree  the  removal  of  the 
ruined  and  dangerous  spire,  may  thousands  come  to 
view  a  sanctuary  rich  in  holy  traditions ;  and  as 
they  sketch  its  antiquated  walls,  may  they  rejoice  to 
think  that  in  thousands  of  memories  its  picture  is 
already  gone  to  heaven." 

No  doubt  the  new  church  gave  a  fresh  impulse 
to  the  congregational  work  in  all  its  departments. 
One  of  the  first  visible  effects  of  this  was  the  re- 
suscitation of  the  Young  Men's  Society,  which  some 

1  A  sparrow's  nest  was  discovered  in  the  spire  before  it  was  quite 
completed. 


chap.  v.  YOUNG  MEN'S  SOCIETY.  2G3 

years  before  had  ceased  to  exist.  We  give  the 
account  of  its  reconstruction,  in  the  words  of  one 
of  the  young  men  who  was  present  on  the  occasion. 

"It  was  not  until  after  the  new  church  was 
opened  in  1850,  that  Mr.  Arnot  was  able  to  get 
another  Young  Men's  Society  instituted.  He  in- 
timated a  lecture  to  young  men  in  the  church.  It 
was  largely  attended.  At  the  close,  he  requested 
the  young  men  of  the  congregation  who  were 
willing  to  join  such  a  society,  to  adjourn  to  the 
session  house.  A  great  many  did  so ;  as  many  as 
quite  filled  the  room.  I  have  before  me  now  a 
sheet  of  note-paper.  On  one  page  there  is  a  rough 
jotting  of  the  '  Name,'  '  Constituents,'  '  Objects,' 
'  Method '  of  the  proposed  society,  and  on  the  oppo- 
site page  what  seems  to  have  been  the  leading 
thoughts  in  the  address  Mr.  Arnot  then  delivered. 
The  other  side  of  the  sheet  is  filled  with  the  names 
and  addresses  of  the  young  men  who  then  inti- 
mated their  willingness  to  become  members ;  they 
number  48.  It  is  all  in  Mr.  Arnot's  handwriting-. 
A  committee  was  appointed,  who  met  next  morning  in 
Mr.  Arnot's  house  at  breakfast,  when  their  work  was 
talked  over,  and  steps  taken  for  drawing  up  the 
rules  and  setting  the  society  agoing.  The  society 
thus  instituted  was  long  carried  on  with  great 
zeal  and  vigour,  and  I  believe  is  still  in  existence. 
Mr.  Arnot  not  only  delivered  the  lectures  at  the 
beginning  of  each  session,  but  occasionally  attended 
the  meetings,  and  took  the  chair  or  read  an  essay 


264  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  v. 

In  the  syllabus  for  1851-2  (the  first  printed),  I  see 
his  name  down  for  an  essay  on  'Analogy,'  which 
he  read  on  the  7th  November  1851.  When  the 
society  began,  one  of  the  objects  was  mission  work, 
which  was  carried  on  by  the  members  personally 
and  by  a  catechist  whom  they  engaged.  That  work 
was  soon  afterwards  merged  in  the  congregational 
mission,  which  issued  in  the  erection  of  Broomielaw 
Free  Church." 

In  1851  he  published  for  the  first  time  a  volume  of 
sermons.  The  contents  of  the  book,  and  the  circum- 
stances in  which  it  was  written,  are  described  in  the 
following  letter  to  Mr.  Johnstone,  publisher. 

To  John  Johnstone,  Esq. 

"  Glasgow,  21th  February  1851. 

"My  DEAR  Sir, — I  am  at  present  on  the  very 
brink  of  the  Press,  and  I  wish  to  consult  you 
before  I  finally  determine. 

"  The  following  are  the  bibliopolic  characteristics 
of  the  thing.  Matter  consists  of  seven  sermons  on 
money ;  money  making ;  its  use  and  abuse,  etc., 
suggested  by  the  mercantile  condition  of  Glasgow 
in  the  autumn  of  last  year,  and  applied  without 
disguise  to  the  present  circumstances  of  society. 
I  have  often  been  privately  requested  to  have  them 
printed,  and  latterly  the  elders  and  deacons  sent 
me  a  resolution  to  that  effect.  I  have  so  far  con- 
sidered it   as  to    revise  the   one  half,  so  that  in   a 


chap.  v.  "THE  RACE  FOR  RICHES?  265 

very    brief    space   I    could    have    the    whole    MS. 
ready. 

As  to  form,  it  will  be  lectures  each  on  a  Scripture 
text,  though  embracing  subjects  and  illustrations  not 
very  commonly  meddled  with  in  sermons ;  but  it 
will  be  a  treatise  on  a  specific  subject,  with  a  unity 
running  through  it,  and  a  title  indicating  its  nature. 
Title  not  yet  fixed ;  may  be  '  The  Golden  Image 
which  the  British  Nation  has  set  up,'  or  it  may  be 
something  else.  As  to  bulk,  I  think  it  will  be  equal 
to  about  110  pages  of  Candlish  on  Genesis.  The 
form  and  size  I  cannot  judge  of  so  much  as  you. 
I  suppose  it  could  be  made  neat,  and  yet  the  price 
be  kept  at  a  shilling  or  eighteen  pence. 

"  Will  you  at  your  leisure  give  me  your  idea  of  it? 
The  only  stipulation  I  would  make,  is  to  retain  the 
copyright  in  my  own  hand.  It  is  not  probable  it 
would  go  farther,  but  I  like  to  have  it  in  my  own 
power.  In  general,  I  would  prefer  the  method  of 
the  publisher  incurring  all  the  outlay  and  risk  of 
the  edition ;  and  that  the  size  of  the  edition,  the 
advertising,  and  the  sale,  should  be  his  interest  and 
regulated  by  him. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

The  title  underwent  many  variations,  but  stood 
ultimately  as  follows  : — "  The  Race  for  Riches,  and 
some  of  the  Pits  into  which  the  Runners  fall :  Six 
Lectures  applying  the  Word  of  God  to  the  Traffic 
of  Men." 


266  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  v. 

To  Rev.  George  Smeaton. 

"  Glasgow,  Zlst  July  1851. 

"Ah!  brother — I  know  the  thing.  Blaikie  had 
occasion  to  write,  and  he  sent  me  a  proof  of  the 
critique  on  my  little  book,  intimating  that  it  is  of 
Auchterarder  origin.  Well,  it  is  very  kind  ;  it  is  an 
overflow  of  fraternity.  And  yet  I  have  some  hope 
that  it  does  not  do  me  much  harm.  If  I  need  repines- 
sion  on  one  side,  I  need  also  encouragement.  If  I 
were  enabled  to  take  from  this  and  other  notices  the 
encouragement  which  I  do  need,  leaving  out  the 
other  thing  which  I  do  not  need,  it  would  all  be 
well.  I  have  plenty  of  material  for  repression,  in  the 
contact  of  God's  Word  with  my  wayward  spirit. 

"Well,  such  a  thing  is  very  kindly  going  about 
one's  heart  in  this  very  buffetous  world.  I  cannot 
restrain  the  impulse  to  transcribe  a  few  sentences 
from  a  note  of  Brother  James  Hamilton  to  me,  of 
9th  current.  You  must  know  that  I  did  perpetrate 
a  critique  on  James'  Royal  Preacher  in  last  F.  C. 
Magazine,  which  said  James,  from  interna]  evidence, 
recognised  and  fathered  upon  me,  whereupon  he 
wrote  :  '  Now  that  three  weeks  are  past,  I  can  ven- 
ture to  write  to  the  reviewer  of  the  Royal  Preacher. 
Had  I  written  sooner  I  should  have  disclaimed 
half  the  praise  of  that  pleasant  eulogy;  and,  though 
my  self-love  has  not  yet  so  enlarged  its  capacities 
as  to  swallow  the  whole,  yet  I  have  found  out  a  use 
for  it  all.     I  say  to  myself,  That  dear  kind  Arnot 


CRITICISM.  2G7 


knows  what  I  would  like  to  do,  and  in  his  friendli- 
ness he  thinks  that  I  have  already  done  it.  He  is 
very  shrewd  withal,  and  likely  he  sees  better  than 
myself  what  I  might  do,  and  he  speaks  of  it  as 
un  fait  accompli,  so  I  must  look  on  this  article  as  a 
plan  or  portrait  of  what  I  ought  to  be,  and  take  it 
as  J.  H.'s  vade  mecum  in  search  of  himself.  Indeed,  I 
deeply  feel  how  short  I  come  of  what  your  partiality 
would  represent ;  but  still  the  qualities  which  you 
ascribe  to  me  are  exactly  those  which  I  would  like 
to  have ;  and  the  warmth  of  brotherly  kindness 
which  inspired  that  paper  brought  the  tears  into 
my  eyes.'  I  have  copied  so  large  an  extract,  because 
the  circumstances  are  really  similar,  and  the  voice 
from  Regent  Square,  with  a  very  few  changes,  might 
be  the  echo  of  my  own  sentiments.  In  respect  ot 
venturing  words  and  things  in  sermons,  the  matter 
may  be  thus  declined — Positive,  Auchterarder  ;  Com- 
parative, St.  Peter's ;  Superlative,  Eegent's  Square. 
James  ventures  things  that,  from  my  point  of  view, 
are  just  a  little  venturesome ;  but  to  other  people's 
view  are  awfully  odd.  I  venture  what  to  ordinary 
observation  is  considerably  out  of  step.  And  so 
my  view  point  is,  1  know,  more  favourable  to  James' 
peculiarities  than  most  other  people's ;  hence  a  sort 
of  apologetic  tone  in  what  I  said  of  him.  But  you 
arc  really  very  generous ;  you  do  not  even  give 
the  subdued  censure  of  apology  for  some  thmgs 
which  can  scarcely  comport  with  your  own  idea  of 
the  due  gravity. 


268  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  v. 

"  Your  independent  idea  is  good,  especially  in  its 
application  to  Vaud  and  America.  I  mean  indepen- 
dent of  anything  in  my  book.  And  one  thing  you 
are  right  in.  I  had  as  much  of  a  glimpse  of  the 
single  eye  in  preaching  these  sermons  as  on  any 
other  occasion  I  have  had.  The  delivery  of  them 
cost  me  several  sore  wrenchings  of  spirit,  and  conse- 
quent perspirations  of  body.  The  day  after  the  one 
on  Dishonesty,  a  gentleman  came  to  tell  me  that  he 
approved  of  it ;  that  his  mind  did  not  resent  it.  He 
did  this  to  relieve  me,  for  he  thought  I  must  suffer 
from  the  apprehension  of  offence.  I  have  been 
vastly  encouraged  by  finding,  that  some  eminent 
disciples  of  Christ,  mighty  in  prayer,  have  thought 
it  useful,  and  are  circulating  it  among  young  men. 
It  soothes  my  poor  heart  amazingly  to  find  some 
of  those  who  get  near  not  despising  my  outer  circle 
labours.  My  family  are  to  come  up  from  the  coast 
to-day.     Love  to  Mrs.  Smeaton. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

DIARY. 
"  15th  Aug. — The  Sermons  on  Money  were  pub- 
lished in  the  end  of  May.  The  first  edition  of  one 
thousand  was  sold  out  within  two  months,  and  a 
second  thousand  printed,  with  several  typographical 
errors  corrected.  Several  very  encouraging  circum- 
stances have  been  reported  to  me  in  connection 
with  the  book.  I  ought  to  be  thankful  and  hopeful, 
and   to    trust   that   the  Lord  may  use  me  for   His 


chap.  v.  THE  FOE  AND  THE  FIGHT.  269 

work  'He  does  not  break  the  bruised  reed.'  Alas  I 
I  am  not  in  the  best  sense  a  bruised  reed.  I  am 
weak  enough,  and  timid ;  but  yet  not  humble. 

"  Another  thing  has  just  occurred,  tending  to  en- 
courage me  to  labour  for  my  Lord.  I  have  re- 
ceived a  request  from  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  of  London,  to  prepare  an  address  for 
circulation  among  the  young  men  of  London  at  the 
New  Year.     I  think  I  shall  try  it. 

Four  months  after,  he  writes  :  "  I  prepared,  in  the 
end  of  November,  an  address  to  young  men  for  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  in  London.  Its 
title  is  '  The  Foe  and  the  Fight ;  or  the  dangers  and 
defences  of  youth.'  It  has  already  been  circulated 
in  very  large  numbers.  Sometimes  I  can  hope  a 
little  for  it.  If  I  could  remember  to  pray  for  it  fre- 
quently, I  would  be  able  to  hope  more.  It  does 
not  soar  high  in  doctrinal  matters  ;  but  I  think  it 
puts  a  plain  case  in  regard  to  some  of  the  snares 
to  which  youth  are  exposed." 

This  was  his  first  introduction  to  the  London 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  He  had  much 
intercourse  with  them  after  that,  and  was  always 
glad  to  have  an  opportunity  of  meeting  with  them. 
The  tract  written  then  was  several  times  repub- 
lished both  in  this  country  and  America,  and  was 
afterwards  included  in  the  first  volume  of  the  Lec- 
tures in  Proverbs.  He  was  at  this  time  giving  these 
lectures  to  his  congregation  on  the  Sabbath  fore- 


270  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  v. 

noons,  though  they  were  not  published  until  several 
years  later.  Here  is  a  note  from  his  diary  regard- 
ing another  of  them. 

"  To-day  visited  Anne  Duncan,  a  servant.  She 
told  me  that  her  brother,  about  a  month  ago,  in- 
vited her  to  go  on  a  certain  evening  to  the  theatre. 
She  did  not  wish  to  go,  but  had  not  courage  to 
refuse  him,  and  made  a  sort  of  half  promise. 
Meantime  the  Sabbath  came,  and  the  text  was,  '  If 
sinners  entice  thee,  consent  thou  not.'  It  went  to 
her  heart.  She  hastened  to  her  brother,  and  boldly 
said  she  would  not  go.  This  is  encouragement  to 
me  in  regard  to  my  expositions  on  the  Proverbs." 

"  10th  Nov.  1851. — Yesterday,  a  great  event  in 
my  house,  a  birth  and  a  death.  The  infant  was 
born  at  six  a.m.,  and  lived  till  about  half-past  eight. 
She  never  opened  her  eyes  on  our  world  at  all. 
She  only  breathed  awhile,  and  then  ceased  to 
breathe.  There  was  none  of  the  appearance  of 
dying ;  we  never  felt  that  we  had  her ;  and  yet  it 
was  death.  The  whole  matter  of  the  soul's  en- 
trance into  its  tabernacle  is  a  mystery,  and  I  am 
content  to  let  it  lie  a  mystery  in  our  Father's 
hands.  He  has  made  plain  to  us  one  part  of  it. 
He  will  take  care  of  His  own  part.  The  first  death 
in  my  family,  the  Lord  has  made  one  of  the 
gentlest  possible  cases.  We  must  yield  to  His 
gentle  teaching  and  training.  We  must  be  ready; 
perhaps  He  may  try  us  with  a  harder  case  next 
time.     Thy  will  and  Thy  time,  Lord.     I  certainly  do 


chap.  v.  LETTER  TO  MR.  MILNE.  271 

not  feel  willing.  I  think  I  shall  be  made  submis- 
sive to  God ;  but  I  know  that  He  must  supply  me. 
"  17th  November. — I  have  this  week  received  let- 
ters from  John  Milne,  of  Perth ;  Robert  Macdonald, 
Blairgowrie;  and  James  Hamilton,  of  London.  Not 
many  can  count  such  a  trio  of  brothers.  I  acknow- 
ledge these  friendships  as  the  good  gift  of  God." 

The  next  letter  is  addressed  to  one  of  these 
valued  friends,  Mr.  Milne,  of  Perth,  then  mourning 
the  loss  of  his  wife  and  infant  child. 

"Glasgow,  14th  September  1852. 

"  My  dear  Brother  Milne, — I  made  no  reply  to 
your  little  note,  heavily  laden  round  the  margin 
with  its  symbol  of  grief,  and  more  heavily  laden 
inside  with  its  tale  of  bereavement.  My  silence 
did  not,  I  think,  spring  from  any  remarkable  de- 
fect in  the  region  of  brotherly  love.  The  ailment 
is  sensibly  situated  in  the  higher  sphere.  In  the 
writings  of  Paul,  'faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  AND  love 
to  all  the  saints,'  constitute  a  well  understood  and 
oft-recurring  sequence.  It  is  a  straitening  about 
that  upper  spring  of  faith  that  makes  the  streams 
of  love  fail  in  their  channels.  One  who  is  dry 
about  the  heart,  had  better  let  a  brother  alone 
when  his  grief  is  great.  Perhaps  you  would  check 
me  at  that  word.  Perhaps  you  have  as  much  joy 
in  the  Lord  now  as  you  had  at  any  former  period 
of  your  life.     It  may  be ;  probably  it  is  so ;  but  it 


272  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  v. 

is  not  the  less  true  that  your  grief  is  great.  When 
a  joy  of  the  Lord  imparted  to  a  mourner  becomes 
his  strength  in  times  of  sorrow,  the  sorrow  is  not 
removed.  There  it  is  ;  let  it  abide  :  but  a  joy  from 
the  Lord  comes  in  and  dwells  along  with  it  in  the 
same  bosom.  The  visitants  to  the  Saviour's  se- 
pulchre departed  with  fear  and  great  joy.  Two 
weights  hang  on  the  two  extremities  of  a  line  or 
rod ;  poise  each  other  as  to  their  effects ;  produce 
the  equilibrium, — but  both  are  there.  So  with  the 
grief;  it  is  substantially  and  in  its  own  nature 
there,  even  when  the  consolations  of  God  are  great. 

'•  One  part  of  the  spirit  of  adoption,  I  would 
say,  is  to  grieve  over  the  loss  of  treasures  once 
possessed,  or  rejoice  in  their  restoration;  letting 
nature's  sorrow  and  joy  act,  without  imagining  that 
God  will  be  angry.  The  slight  deviations  of  planets 
from  their  path,  by  reason  of  the  passage  of  other 
large  planets  near  them,  does  not  derange  the  sys- 
tem ;  it  only  shows  off  its  glorious  unity.  So  long 
as  its  circling  is  round  the  central  sun,  God,  the 
Creator,  sees  well  pleased  these  minute  divergences 
of  the  planets,  Avhich  go  to  prove  the  supremacy 
of  the  sun's  attraction.  And  I  believe  God  our 
Father  is  not  displeased  with  the  tears  and  smiles 
of  his  dear  children  over  the  lesser  things  of  time,  as 
they  are  taken  and  bestowed,  while  the  child  abides 
in  the  spirit  of  adoption,  and  holds  on  by  faith. 

"  My  oldest  girl  has  had  a  serious  ailment  in  the 
form  of  a  sore  in  the  inside  of  her  mouth,  arising 


chap.  v.  DEATH  OF  AN  OLD  FRIEND.  273 

originally  from  toothache,  swollen  cheek,  and  gnaw- 
ing of  the  cheek  between  the  teeth  when  swollen. 
At  one  period  I  was  made  to  realise  with  con- 
siderable distinctness  the  possibility  of  a  stroke, — 
a  sharp  one,— falling  soon,  and  falling  on  a  tender 
spot.  When  the  symptoms  began  to  improve,  I 
felt  my  heart  bounding  with  gladness.  I  checked 
myself  as  if  this  were  wrong.  A  second  thought 
came,  and  it  seemed  the  spirit  of  bondage  to  re- 
fuse to  rejoice  in  the  continuance  of  the  gift;  as 
if  God  had  implanted  these  parental  affections,  and 
given  them  a  sweet  object  to  satiate  themselves 
on,  and  restored  that  object  when  it  seemed  ready 
to  depart,  and  after  all  that  He  would  be  dis- 
pleased if  we  should  enjoy  His  gift.  It  is  not  the 
glad  enjoyment  of  the  gift  that  displeases  Him,  it 
is  the  rebellious  departure  from  Himself.  (The 
child  is  almost  well  again.)  The  same  principle, 
I  apprehend,  applies  to  grief.  .  .  .  . — Yours,  in 
brotherly  love,  WILLIAM  Arnot." 

About  this  time  another  of  his  most  intimate 
college  friends  was  called  away,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Morri- 
son, of  Port-Glasgow.  In  a  letter  to  a  mutual  friend 
he  says, — "  Brother  Morrison  is  over  the  stormy 
passage.  In  that  view  it  has  impressed  itself  upon 
my  mind.  Rest  is  sweet  to  the  weary.  That  bent 
of  mind  which  Paul  had,  having  a  desire  to  depart, 
is  a  precious  thing  for  living,  not  to  speak  of 
dying  with." 
S 


274  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap,  v 

DIARY. 

"  25th  September  1852. — This  day  I  have  heard  of 
the  death  of  brother  James  Morrison  of  Port-Glas- 
gow. He  was  one  of  my  oldest  friends  as  a  student. 
He  was  always  kind,  and  often  profitable  to  me.  He 
was  the  most  faithful  of  all  my  friends  in  telling  me 
my  faults.  He  was  a  man  of  God,  mighty  in  the 
Scriptures.  The  Scriptures  were  his  great  study 
from  his  youth  ;  he  lived  upon  the  Word.  Much 
pleasant  intercourse  have  I  had  with  him.  I  pray 
that  his  death  may  be  made  a  quickening  instru- 
ment to  me." 

The  following  is  the  introductory  page  of  a  note- 
book, in  which  he  recorded  incidents  regarding  his 
children  in  their  earliest  years.  It  was  commenced 
in  1852,  and  the  entries  are  continued  with  more  or 
less  regularity  until  18 66.  As  the  children  grew 
older  their  names  gradually  disappear  from  its 
pages,  the  younger  ones  taking  their  places. 

"At  Glasgow,  this  third  day  of  November  1852, — 
Whereas  we,  William  and  Jane  Arnot,  married  on 
the  30th  day  of  July  1844,  have  obtained  of  the 
Lord  a  heritage  of  three  children — Jane,  born  23d 
December  184(5 ;  Margaret,  born  11th  September 
1848  ;  and  Robert,  born  22d  June  1850 ;  and  whereas 
there  are  many  things  emerging  day  by  day  in  the 
development  of  their  minds  and  characters  which  it 
is  desirable   to   remember,   for    encouragement   and 


chap.  v.  CHILDREN.  275 

warning  to  them  or  to  us,  we  have  thought  it  right 
to  set  apart  this  little  book  for  the  purpose  of 
recording  such  traits  and  incidents  as  may  appear 
interesting  or  useful ;  especially  recording  the  dates 
at  which  each  child  makes  certain  attainments,  in 
order  that  we  may  be  able  to  compare  them  with 
each  other,  and  bring  all  to  bear  on  their  manage- 
ment and  education  in  the  future.  We  desire  to 
record  features  and  facts  in  all  simplicity,  both  such 
as  show  good  dispositions  and  such  as  show  bad, 
that  we  may  be  quickened  both  in  thankfulness  to 
God  and  in  faithfulness  to  the  children." 

From  his  public  position,  he  was  naturally  well 
known  to  many  who  were  unknown  to  him ;  and  it 
was  not  an  unfrequent  occurrence  for  him  to  receive 
cordial,  friendly  letters  from  people  who  were  per- 
sonally strangers  to  him,  but  who  had  profited  at 
some  time  by  his  ministry,  either  spoken  or  written. 
The  following  is  his  reply  to  a  letter  of  this  kind: — 

To  Mr.  William  Murray,  Alloa. 

"Glasgow,  21st  December  1852. 
"  Dear  Sir, — I  duly  received  your  letter,  and  take 
advantage  of  the  first  moment  of  leisure  to  reply. 
Your  communication  has  interested  and  gratified  me 
much.  You  have  touched  two  chords  in  my  heart, 
that  are,  I  think,  always  ready  strung  to  receive 
the  corresponding  impression — home  associations  of 


276  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  v. 

youth,  and  sympathy  with  Avorkiug  men.  You  could 
not  have  hit  upon  two  themes  so  well  calculated  to 
arouse  my  sympathies  as  the  home  of  childhood  on 
the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other  intellectual  and 
moral  life  struggling  under  the  pressure  of  toil.  I 
cannot  afford  time  at  present  to  dilate  on  parti- 
culars, otherwise  I  could  have  told  you  how  I  filled  a 
dung-cart  in  Dunning,  and  drove  it  home  when  I 
was  fifteen  years  of  age  ;  and  how  between  that  and 
twenty  my  mind  struggled  to  unfold  itself,  not 
indeed  wearied  and  cleaved  by  the  shuttle,  but 
weighed  down  by  the  spade  and  the  scythe.  I 
remember  very  well  that  I  once  preached  in  the  Free 
Church  in  Alloa ;  but  I  could  not  have  told  the  first 
sentence  of  the  sermon.  Irecogn  ise,  however,  the 
sentiment  as  mine  when  I  see  it.  I  noticed  your 
contribution  in  the  Free  Church  Magazine.  As  to 
meeting  in  this  world ;  if  we  are  both  spared  a  little 
longer,  I  think  that  it  is  altogether  likely.  If  I  were 
in  the  neighbourhood,  I  think  I  would  remember  to 
ask  for  you.  And  if  you  were  within  reach  of  me, 
when  I  might  be  engaged  in  public  duty,  whether  in 
Alloa  or  elsewhere,  I  hope  you  would  come  and 
introduce  yourself.  I  send  you  a  copy  of  "The 
Race,"  and  also  two  other  tracts  of  mine,  which  you 
probably  have  not  seen. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

A  little  book  appeared  in  the  end  of  this   year, 
with   the   title,    "The   Drunkard's   Progress;   being 


chap.  v.       "  THE  DRUNKARD'S  PROGRESS."  277 

a  panorama  of  the  overland  route  from  the  Station 
at  Drouth  to  the  General  Terminus  in  the  Dead  Sea, 
in  a  series  of  thirteen  views,  drawn  and  engraved  by 
John  Adam;  the  descriptions  given  by  John  Bunyan, 
junior."  Few  of  Mr.  Arnot's  friends  would  have 
much  difficulty  in  finding  him  out  under  the  ficti- 
tious signature.  Here  is  his  own  account  of  what  he 
calls  "  a  pleasant  interlude  in  the  way  of  impromtu 
book-making,"  written  on  the  fly-leaf  of  a  copy  of 
the  first  edition. 

"  Late  in  the  year  1852,  my  friend  Mr.  William 
Dickson,  of  Edinburgh,  sent  me  proofs  of  twelve 
pictures  representing  various  phases  of  drunken- 
ness, informing  me  that  they  were  the  work  and 
property  of  a  deserving  young  man,  who  could  not 
apply  them  to  any  purpose,  Tinless  some  one  should 
be  found  to  supply  descriptions,  and  so  constitute 
a  book.  I  looked  at  the  pictures,  and  jotted  down 
descriptions  for  two  or  three.  I  sent  them  to  Mr 
Dickson.  He  said  they  would  do ;  and  I  executed 
the  rest.  When  all  were  ready  to  be  printed,  the 
publishers  wrote  through  to  ask  for  a  title.  I  sent 
the  one  which  the  book  bears.  Mr.  Dickson  after- 
wards objected  to  it,  as  containing  a  proportion  of 
humour  which  might,  in  some  minds,  tend  to  turn 
aside  the  edge  of  its  reproof.  I  assented  to  his  criti- 
cism, and  suggested  another.  But  the  publisher  and 
Mr.  Adam  had  already  made  up  their  minds  that  the 
title  they  had  got  would  best  take  the  public  eye, 
and  refused  to  change  it ;  so  it  stands." 


278  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap.  v. 

The  copyright  was  afterwards  purchased  by  the 
Glasgow  Temperance  League,  and  a  large  edition 
was  brought  out  under  their  auspices. 

"  1st  January  1853. — The  year  has  glided  past. 
It  was  charged  full  of  mercies.  It  has  left  me  still 
in  God's  world  and  in  God's  work.  Praise  for  the 
past  and  faithful  labour  in  the  future  would  both 
be  comely  in  my  case.  Diligence  in  the  work,  and 
readiness  for  the  rest — these  are  the  elements  of 
a  happy  life.  These  dwell  not  in  me — these  good 
things.  May  they  descend  upon  me  in  large  mea- 
sure from  the  Lord  during  this  year,  for  the  sake 
of  the  dear  Redeemer  I  " 

The  next  letter  is  addressed  to  his  sister-in-law, 
a  young  wife  and  mother,  who  had  gone  abroad 
to  seek  health,  but  failing  to  find  it,  had  now  re- 
turned home,  as  it  seemed,  to  die. 

"Glasgow,  10th  May  1853. 

"My  dear  Sister, — So  you  have  landed  on  our 
own  island-home  again.  Poor  Lady  Dalhousie  was 
coming  home  too,  and  was,  I  suppose,  in  sight  of 
land,  when  she  was  called  home  in  another  way.  I 
have  been  informed  that  she  believed  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  the  saving  of  the  soul.  It  must  be  very 
terrible  to  depart  unwilling  to  that  undiscovered 
country;  but  it  must  be  very  joyous  to  step  into  'the 
rest  that  remaineth.'  I  have  often  observed  that  the 
children  of  God's  family  get  dying  grace  only  when 
the  dying  day  draws  near.     My  dear  sister,  there 


chap.  v.  DYING  GRACE.  279 

are  two  things  iu  my  mind  pretty  well  settled  now ; 
and  my  anxieties  circle  mainly  round  the  third. 
The  first  is,  I  believe  you  have  been  sovereignly 
touched,  and  taken  into  Christ  as  a  branch  in  the 
vine,  so  that  being  in  Him,  though  you  should  die, 
yet  would  you  live.  The  second  thing  is,  I  believe 
your  sojourn  in  the  body  now  will  not  be  long. 
And,  as  I  do  not  fear  for  your  soul's  saving,  and 
cannot  expect  your  body's  recovery,  my  concern 
lies  here,  that  your  peace  may  be  like  a  river — 
that  your  sanctification  may  advance  rapidly— that 
Christ  may  be  glorified  in  your  mortal  body,  both 
in  life  and  in  death.  There  are  exhaustless  stores 
in  the  covenant.  The  Lord  lives  to  perfect  strength 
in  weakness.  Over  and  above  making  you  safe  in 
Christ  beyond  death,  He  can  make  you  triumph  in 
Christ  while  it  yet  lies  before  you.  I  am  very 
feeble.  While  I  write  these  disjointed  sentences, 
I  tremble  ;  yet  I  know  that  there  is  all-sufficient 
grace  in  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  and  with  the 
trembling,  I  rejoice  to  bear  testimony  to  the  com- 
pleteness of  the  salvation.  One  is  ready  to  envy 
Paul  that  blessed  'strait'  that  he  was  in  when 
he  had  a  desire  to  depart.  Perhaps  it  was  happier 
for  him,  and  more  honour  to  the  Lord,  that  there 
was  an  equilibrium.  Perhaps  it  was  better  so,  than 
if  all  the  pressure  had  been  on  either  side,  I  know 
of  certain  weights  in  your  case  that  lie  on  this  side 
in  life's  scale — certain  strong  reasons  on  which  you 
may  look  and  say,  '  To  abide  in  theflesli  is  more  needful 


280  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  v. 

for  you?  But  there  are  weights — exceeding  great 
and  eternal — on  the  other  side  to  counterbalance. 
If  you  are  enabled  now  to  get  these  in,  so  that  your 
soul  will  not  be  racked  by  the  strong  affections  of 
time,  but  brought  into  the  sweet,  happy  balance, 
wherein  to  await  the  will  of  the  Lord,  it  will  be  well. 
I  think  I  should  not  write  more  at  present,  but  I 
hope  to  take  up  the  thread  of  it  again. — Ever  yours, 

William  Arnot." 

It  was  now  ten  years  since  the  Disruption.  The 
ranks  of  its  leaders  were  already  considerably 
thinned,  and  now  another  great  man  was  about  to 
pass  away.  Dr.  Robert  Gorclon  was  the  first  minis- 
ter of  the  Free  High  Church,  Edinburgh,  of  which 
Mr.  Arnot  subsequently  became  the  pastor. 

To  Rev.  Dr.  Candlish. 

"21s«  October  1853. 

"  My  dear  Sir, — 

" .  .  .  .  The  accounts  of  Dr.  Gordon  which 
have  reached  us  seem  decisive.  We  are  expecting 
to  hear  of  the  close.  I  have  heard  of  some  mothers 
strong  in  the  faith,  when  bereaved  of  half  their 
children,  cheerfully  counting  still  all  the  members 
of  the  '  whole  family,'  acknowledging,  in  passing,  the 
Scriptural  distinction,  '  in  heaven  and  in  earth.'  If 
we  can  so  walk  by  faith  as  to  consider  the  Free 
Chm'ch  a  whole  family  still,  a  goodly  proportion  of 
it  already  belongs  to  that  higher  class.  In  the 
sinking  of  heart  under  such  bereavements,  it  would 


DR.  GORDON.  281 


be  a  great  support  if  we  could  in  faith  fall  into  the 
habit  of  thinking  that  these  have  gone  before  to 
take  possession.  Another  subordinate  effect  of  be- 
reavement, is  to  make  those  who  remain  cling  the 
closer. — Yours  affectionately, 

William  Arnot." 

The  following  is  to  Dr.  Hamilton,  of  a  few  days 
later  date. 

" .  .  .  .  Dr.  Gordon !  How  fixed  and  pro- 
minent a  feature  he  was  in  one's  mental  landscape 
of  the  Free  Church.  My  heart  sinks  somewhat 
under  these  strokes  now.  We  are  clearly  past  the 
crest  of  the  wave,  and  gliding  down.  Those  who 
are  coming  forward  at  one  side  are  certainly  not  so 
tall  as  those  who  are  going  off  at  the  other.  Still, 
when  we  make  allowances  for  youth,  perhaps  we 
should  not  despond.  Some  of  those  who  lie  on  the 
level  at  present  may  some  day,  called  forth  by 
circumstances,  emerge  into  eminence." 

"23d  October. — I  saw  Angus  Kerr  (one  of  the 
eldersj  on  Friday  evening.  He  is  a  dying  man,  and 
knows  it.  His  latter  end  is  peace.  It  was  most 
affecting  to  me.  He  said,  with  great  calmness  and 
deliberation,  as  if  bearing  his  dying  testimony,  that 
he  had  derived  benefit  to  his  soul  from  my  ministry ; 
especially,  he  remarked,  that  it  helped  him  to  con- 
form more  to  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  his  daily  walk  ; 
also,  he  mentioned  '  The  Race  for  Riches '  as  having 


282  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  v. 


been  useful.     He   charged  his  wife,  in  my  hearing, 
to  continue  with  her  children  in  St.  Peter's." 


Rev.  James  Hamilton,  D.D.,  London. 

"  Glasgow,  21st  November  1853. 

"My  dear  Brother, — Here  goes  another  note. 
We  are  passing  station  after  station  in  the  line  of 
life,  and  we  might  at  least  hail  each  other  now  and 
then,  as  it  were,  out  from  the  carriage  window.  I 
have  finished  my  lecture  on  Proverbs  xxix.,  being 
No.  74  of  said  lectures,  and  I  think  fixed  my  text 
for  the  sermon — Col.  iii.  16.  The  reason  why  this 
text  is  chosen  is  something  with  which  you  have  to 
do.  These  musical  people  in  Edinburgh  asked  and 
advertised  you  for  a  lecture  on  the  Psalms  of  David. 
In  due  course,  and  in  natural  order,  they  got  your 
answer  declining  the  task.  They  then  traversed  a 
long  line  of  musico-poetical  celebrities  ;  but  all  these 
failed.  Then  at  last,  when  the  time  was  staring 
them  in  the  face,  they  came  to  me.  Right ;  for 
patriotism  is  largely  developed  in  my  cranium, 
though  music  is  represented  by  a  hollow.  To  join 
a  forlorn  hope,  and  throw  my  reputation  in  the 
breach,  in  order  to  carry  comrades  forward  to  vic- 
tory— that  'ere  is  my  forte.  I  was  very  near  the 
point  of  consenting.  But  on  searching  my  cerebral 
stores,  I  found  none  of  that  commodity  at  all,  and 
I  was  not  willing  to  sacrifice  my  reputation  merely 
for  the  pleasure   of  the   sacrifice,   when  clearly   it 


chap.  v.  DEATH  OF  A  SISTER.  283 

would  have  done  no  good  to  my  friends.  I  offered 
to  read  your  lecture,  if  you  would  write  it,  as  I 
understood  your  objection  was  to  the  winter  travel- 
ling. This  idea,  however,  did  not  take  well.  I 
have  declined  for  want  of  matter,  and  entire  want 
of  time  to  gather  it.  But  the  exercise  of  thinking 
about  it  has  turned  my  attention  to  psalms  and 
hymns  and  spiritual  songs.  I  am  clear  for  the 
hymns  and  spiritual  songs  being  added  to  the  old 

psalms 

"  This  note  is  a  pleasant  interlude  between  my 
two  discourses.  I  take  great  delight  in  writing.  I 
should  be  thankful  for  this.  My  sermons  are  more 
fully  written,  and  in  far  clearer  characters,  than  they 
were  long  ago. — Ever  yours,  Wm.  Arnot." 

DIARY. 
"  10th  December. — Several  events  since  last  entry, 
but  they  are  all  overshadowed  now  by  another,  not 
in  itself  greater,  but  nearer  to  me.  It  is  the  death 
of  my  sister  Mary.  She  was  ailing  a  week ;  but  she 
w<  >uld  not  permit  her  friends  to  write  to  me  till  late 
on  Tuesday  evening,  the  6th  curt.  I  went  immedi- 
ately to  Edinburgh  on  Wednesday  afternoon  when 
I  received  the  letter;  but  she  had  departed  in  the 
morning  at  nine  o'clock.  She  had  slept  from  a  very 
early  hour  in  the  morning,  until  she  slept  away. 
It  is  well.  She  has  long  been  living  as  it  were  on 
her  warning,  counting  that  her  days  would  be  few ; 
and  her  hope  was  fixed  on  the  Saviour  of  sinners. 


'284  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  v. 

Not  from  any  sudden  expression  at  the  end,  but 
from  her  whole  course  for  many  years,  I  firmly 
believe  she  is  safe  over.  Now  only  the  oldest  and 
the  youngest  of  our  family  survive.  Janet  is  the 
oldest,  and  I  am  the  youngest.  The  three,  who, 
having  arrived  at  maturity,  have  been  taken  out 
from  the  middle,  have  all  lived  and  died  in  faith 
and  hope.  It  remains  for  the  surviving  extremities 
to  look  unto  Jesus,  and  hold  on  to  the  end,  that 
though  we  be  a  broken  family  on  earth,  we  may  be 
a  whole  family  in  heaven." 

To  his  Sister. 

"Edinburgh,  7  th  Dec.  1853. 
Wednesday  Evening. 

"  My  dear  Janet, — At  Glasgow  this  afternoon  at 
four  o'clock  we  received  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Morrison 
(Ann  Bonar),  intimating  that  Mary  was  ill,  and  re- 
questing me  to  come.  I  left  with  the  train  at 
half-past  five,  and  reached  this  about  eight.  Sirs. 
Morrison  was  at  the  station  waiting  for  me.  She 
told  me  that  Mary  was  very  ill,  and  soon  after  let 
me  know  that  her  illness  was  over.  I  am  sorry 
that  I  have  no  way  of  making  the  intimation  more 
gradual  to  you.  I  thought  of  sending  a  letter  telling 
of  her  illness  first,  but  this  would  cause  too  much 
delay ;  and  it  must  be  told  now,  that  you  and  I  are 
the  only  members  of  the  family  still  on  the  journey. 
All  the  others  are  over ;  and,  dear  Janet,  they  are 


chap.  v.  "THE  VOYAGE  OF  LIFE."  285 

over  safe.  We  have  great  cause  for  glad  gratitude 
that  the  three,  Robert,  Margaret,  Mary,  have  de- 
parted in  the  clear  hope  of  a  blessed  immortality. 
Many  a  mourner  would  think  their  sorrows  turned 
into  joy  if  they  had  this  consolation." 

To  the  President  of  Sabbath  School  Union. 

"  Glasgow,  10th  December  1853. 

"My  dear  Sir, — I  engaged  through  you  to  the 
Sabbath  School  Union  to  prepare  an  address  to  the 
scholars  for  the  New  Year ;  but  I  did  not  agree  to  be 
pounded  as  the  material  of  a  quack  advertisement. 
Probably  you  have  not  even  seen  the  thing  to  which 
I  refer.  It  is  in  the  Scottish  Guardian  of  yester- 
day. I  write  to  you,  not  to  lay  it  in  any  measure  to 
your  charge,  but  to  beg  of  you  to  protect  me,  that 
I  may  not  be  under  the  necessity  of  protecting 
myself  by  a  counter  advertisement.  To  me  it  ap- 
pears altogether  unfair  on  the  part  of  the  pub- 
lishers to  place  me  in  such  a  position.  I  acquit 
them  entirely  of  any  design  to  do  me  a  wrong. 
Indeed,  judging  from  the  tone  and  structure  of  the 
advertisement,  it  seems  to  have  a  single  eye  to 
the  turning  of  a  penny.  I  have  been  prevented 
from  doing  the  work  this  week  by  family  bereave- 
ment. To-day  I  bury  my  dead.  I  have  my  great 
weekly  work  on  the  morrow ;  and  when  I  begin 
next  week  in  weakness,  I  feel  that  these  great 
swelling  words   about   the  power   of  my  name  will 


286  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  v. 

be  a  sarcasm  sounding  in  my  ears.  This  is  not 
mere  displeasure ;  it  is  dread  lest  the  Holy  One  be 
provoked  to  withhold  the  sufficient  grace,  and  the 
book  be  dry  as  Ezekiel's  valley. — I  am,  yours  ever, 

William  Arnot." 

The  little  book,  which  was  written  under  the 
shadow  of  this  great  sorrow,  was  "  The  Voyage  of 
Life,"  and  perhaps  nothing  that  he  ever  wrote  has 
spread  more  widely  or  proved  more  useful.  It 
passed  through  several  editions  in  this  country ; 
was  republished  in  America ;  and  was  translated 
into  Welsh. 

DIARY. 

"  1854. — 12th  January. — I  have  just  risen  from  a 
considerable  illness ;  three  days  in  bed.  I  have  not 
been  so  much  confined  for  many  years.  There  is  a 
peculiarity  in  this  illness,  as  a  dispensation  of  the 
Lord  to  my  soul,  which  I  must  carefully  observe 
and  remember.  It  was  of  a  kind  to  give  me  the 
most  solemn  admonition  that  eternity  is  near,  in- 
asmuch as  it  came  on  precisely  as  fever  comes ; 
and  fever  I  feel  would  be  very  serious  for  me, 
past  the  climax  of  life  and  of  somewhat  full  habit. 
And  yet,  though  so  solemn  in  its  intimation,  it  has 
been  exceedingly  gentle  in  its  pressure.  I  perceive 
that  the  Father  has  been  giving  me  the  most  seri- 
ous lesson  possible,  with  the  least  possible  suffer- 
ing to  me.     I  trace  His  tender  loving  kindness  in 


chap.  v.  A  HOPEFUL  CASE.  287 

this.  He  hath  done  all  things  well.  He  has  not 
put  me  off  with  a  slight  lesson  :  not  burdened  me 
with  a  heavy  disease. 

"26th  February.— On  the  21st,  lectured  at  Perth 
for  a  Temperance  Reading  Room.  At  the  railway 
station  a  young  woman  met  me  with  most  affec- 
tionate recognition.  Several  months  ago  she  came 
to  my  house  a  most  wretched  abandoned  young 
woman.  She  confessed  her  whole  course  of  wicked- 
ness, and  said  she  wished  to  escape.  Although  I 
doubted  much,  I  determined  to  try.  I  showed 
her  some  kindness,  and  sent  her  home  to  Perth 
to  her  mother.  I  wrote  to  a  Christian  lady  in 
Perth  about  her.  That  lady  has  visited  her  ever 
since.  Her  report  is  most  hopeful.  The  woman's 
look  is  entirely  changed.  She  is  reclaimed  from 
vice,  and  the  lady  hopes  she  is  brought  to  the 
Saviour. 

"The  annual  report  of  the  London  Young  Men's 
Christian  Society  contains  a  letter  from  a  young 
man,  who  intimates  that  my  little  book,  '  The  Foe 
and  the  Fight,'  was  useful  to  him  at  the  crisis  of  his 
conflict." 

In  May  of  this  year  we  find  him  again  in  London, 
preaching  in  Regent's  Square.  His  wife  accom- 
panied him  on  this  occasion,  while  his  sister  Janet 
took  charge  of  house  and  children  at  home.  The 
following  letter  is  to  his  second  daughter,  then  a 
child  of  five. 


288  MEMOIR  OB  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  v. 

"  London,  ith  May  1854. 

"My  dear  Margaret,— You  would  learn  from 
Jeannie's  letter  that  we  had  arrived  safely  at  York. 
We  went  after  breakfast  to  the  cathedral  there.  It 
was  open,  and  we  walked  all  through  it.  It  was  the 
grandest  church  we  ever  saw.  There  was  a  reli- 
gious service  in  it  at  ten  o'clock.  We  stayed  to  hear 
it.  They  sing  anthems  and  play  on  the  organ. 
The  music  mamma  greatly  liked.  Some  boys  were 
there,  with  white  gowns  over  their  clothes,  who  sung 
most  sweetly.  They  also  read  chapters  of  the  Bible, 
and  some  prayers  out  of  a  book. 

"  We  went  to  the  railway  station  at  half-past 
twelve,  and  took  our  seats  in  the  train  for  London. 
There  Avere  some  heavy  blasts  of  hail  and  rain;  but 
the  most  of  the  day  was  sunny  and  fine.  The  chief 
difference  between  England  and  Scotland  is  in  this 
— you  can  see  farther  away  in  England.  There  are 
very  few  hills.  The  country  is  level  like  the  sea, 
and  you  can  see  many  miles  away. 

"  We  reached  London  at  eight  o'clock  on  Tuesday 
evening.  We  got  a  cab  to  take  us  to  this  place. 
We  are  living  in  Dr.  Hamilton's  house.  Mrs.  Hamil- 
ton is  a  lady  something  like  mamma.  She  has  three 
fine  children— the  youngest  a  baby  like  Willie — the 
next,  a  boy  younger  than  Robert,  but  very  much 
taller,  and  the  oldest  a  girl  about  your  own  age. 
She  speaks  very  beautifully.  The  speech  of  the 
English  people  is  finer  than  ours  in  Scotland.     On 


chap.  v.  LETTER  TO  A  CHILD.  289 

Wednesday  morning  we  went  to  see  many  fine 
pictures.  Then  we  went  to  a  very  large  meeting  at 
Exeter  Hall  about  Bibles  for  the  Chinese.  At  night 
we  went  to  hear  a  gentleman  describe  his  adven- 
tures in  climbing  Mont  Blanc,  the  highest  of  the 
Alps.  He  told  many  clever  stories,  and  explained 
all  the  dangers  of  climbing  up  among  the  snow 
and  ice. 

"  This  morning  we  rose  at  our  usual  time ;  break- 
fasted at  half-past  eight;  and  mamma  went  to 
Exeter  Hall,  and  heard  some  very  good  speeches 
about  the  London  City  Mission.  I  preached  in  Dr. 
Hamilton's  church  at  twelve  ;  and  we  are  now  writ- 
ing letters  for  home ;  after  which  I  am  to  preach 
again  in  the  evening. 

"  I  expect  to-morrow  to  go  to  the  House  of  Par- 
liament, where  the  laws  are  made,  and  where  the 
rulers  of  the  whole  country  hold  their  meetings. 

"  I  forgot  to  tell  you  yesterday,  when  mamma  and 
I  were  walking  past  the  gate  of  the  Queen's  palace, 
we  saw  a  number  of  people.  We  asked  the  reason 
of  the  gathering,  and  were  told  that  the  Queen  and 
her  husband  were  coming  from  another  palace.  We  \ 
waited  and  saw  the  Queen.  She  was  in  a  very 
grand  carriage.  We  were  quite  near,  and  saw  her 
very  well.  The  horses  and  the  coachmen  were  very 
grand.     I  wish  you  had  seen  them. 

"  I   expect  some   day   to   take   mamma  into   the 
Queen's  palace  at    Windsor,  and  she  will  tell  you 
about   it   when   she  comes  home.    I  hope  you  will 
T 


290  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  v. 

not  quarrel  with  Robert  even  once  all  the  time  we 
are  away. 

"  Kindest  love  to  aunt  Janet  and  all  the  children. 
Your  Papa,  William  Arnot." 

The  month  of  June  was  spent  by  the  whole  family 
at  Lanark,  and  here  Mr.  Arnot  found  work  lying  to 
his  hand. 


To  Rev.  R.  Elder,  Rothesay. 

"  Glasgow,  25th  July  1854. 

"My  DEAR  Sir, — I  know  the  errors  of  many  of 
the  temperance  advocates,  for  I  have  experienced 
them.  I  also  see  on  the  other  side,  among  Christian 
men  generally  (indefinitely  varied  in  degree  in  in- 
dividuals), an  opposition  to  intemperance  and  its 
causes  lamentably  inadequate  and  disproportionate 
to  the  magnitude  of  the  evil.  How  far  these  two 
opposite  excesses  reciprocally  produce  and  aggra- 
vate each  other,  I  cannot  determine ;  but  in  my 
middle  position,  I  have  my  heart  sorely  broken 
by  both     .... 

"  At  Lanark  my  spirit  was  so  stirred  within  me  at 
seeing  the  town  so  given  to  whisky,  that  I  sum- 
moned a  meeting  by  the  bellman  at  the  Cross  on 
Saturday  night,  and  stood  on  the  steps  of  the  Town 
Hall,  within  earshot  of  a  magistrate's  tippling  shop, 
and  addressed   a   vast   and   attentive   meeting.      I 


chap.  v.     TEMPERANCE  LECTURE  A  T  LANARK.     291 

have  good  reason  to  believe  it  was  not  without 
good  results.  I  am  deeply  convinced  that  the 
cause  of  religion  is  held  down  very  low  in  Lanark 
by  the  multitude  of  spirit  shops  and  quantity  of 
drinking ;  and  also  that  the  ministers  of  Christ  there 
would  serve  the  Lord  better,  if  more  courageously 
and  pointedly  they  should  lift  up  their  voice  against 
it.     .     .     .    . — Ever  yours  in  affection, 

William  Arnot." 

To  Rev.  Samuel  Miller. 

"  Glasgow,  3cZ  August  1854. 

"My  dear  Sir, — It  has  occurred  to  me  that  in 
your  Highland  home  anything  new  from  the  Low 
Country  will  be  interesting,  and  I  enclose  my  last 
work.  You  are  not  obliged  to  read  it,  far  less  to 
praise  it.  It  was  written  at  Lanark.  I  have 
begun  another,  more  directly  touching  the  pre- 
sent political  aspect  of  the  question  in  relation 
to  the  publicans.  If  I  succeed,  it  will  probably 
be  prudent  to  publish  it  in  a  different  form,  and 
anonymously.  Also  the  League  here  has  purchased 
the  "  Drunkard's  Progress  "  from  Adams,  and  intend 
to  bring  it  out  at  sixpence,  with  the  benefit  of  their 
machinery  for  circulation.  They  have  put  it  into 
my  hands  to  be  retouched.  So  you  see  I  get  em- 
ployment in  that  department ;  and  I  rejoice  in  it. 
I  feel  as  a  soldier  feels  when  he  is  sent  against  the 
strongest  and  most  threatening  post  of  the  enemy. 


292  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  v. 

I  feel  that  it  is  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  if  I  labour 
iu  the  Lord,  it  will  be  well." 

DIARY. 
"  30th  July. — I  experience  an  increasing  zeal 
against  the  temptations  to  drink.  I  hope  it  is  a 
jealousy  for  God's  honour,  and  my  brother's  good. 
I  pray  that  it  may  be  kept  in  proper  bounds,  and 
wisely  directed." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

r\URING  all  his  long  ministry  in  Glasgow,  there 
are  few  striking  events  to  be  recorded,  few 
great  changes  to  mark  the  progress  of  the  years. 
To  use  his  own  words  in  describing  a  similar  period 
in  the  life  of  Dr.  Hamilton :  *  "  Where  there  are  no 
battles,  the  history  of  a  coimtry  is  brief  and  dull ; 
but  great  is  the  happiness  and  progress  of  the 
people.  It  is  the  same  with  the  work  and  sphere 
of  a  Christian  minister,  when  he  is  faithful  and  his 
flock  affectionate.  The  minister,  loving  and  be- 
loved, is  felt  everywhere  as  a  rallying  point  and 
centre  of  attraction.  The  beneficent  machinery 
goes  smoothly  round,  Christian  charity  lubricating 
every  wheel ;  and  precisely  because  everything  is 
going  on  well,  there  is  not  much  for  the  historian 
to  tell." 

The  two  following  letters  will  show  the  kind  of 
work  which  occupied  his  leisure  hours. 

1  Life  of  Hamilton,  p.  349. 
293 


294  MEMOIR  OF  REV.  W.  ARNOT.         chap.  vi. 


To  Thomas  Nelson  and  Sons. 

"Glasgow,  1st  February  1855. 

"  Gentlemen, — I  duly  received  your  note  regard- 
ing a  new  series  of  tracts.  My  mind  rather  lies  to 
that.  I  would  like  to  undertake,  if  I  could  see  the 
way  to  a  scrap  of  leisure.  But  surely  the  proposed 
bulk  is  too  diminutive.  Three  pages  like  the  hymn 
would  be  a  very  small  amount  of  matter.  I  would 
like  to  see  something  of  the  size  you  intend.  Could 
you  give  a  sight  of  a  page  precisely  the  same  as 
your  intended  tract.  I  might  find  it  impossible  to 
do  anything  to  satisfy  myself  in  such  limited  space. 
I  would  then  be  able  to  answer  you.  You  might 
also  say  when  you  would  like  them.  The  subjects 
Workmen,  Sailors,  Servants,  have  attractions  for  me. 
I  would  suggest  one  for  Emigrants.  I  feel  the  want 
of  such  a  tract  to  put  into  the  hands  of  emigrants. 
I  had  one  in  a  former  Free  Church  series,  entitled 
the  Sea,  which  I  used,  as  long  as  it  lasted,  but  it  is 
out  now. — Yours,  William  Arnot." 


To  Dr.  Hamilton. 

"Glasgow,  8th  February  1855. 

My  DEAR  Mr.  Editor, — I  duly  received  your  letter 
of  the  5th,  with  its  pecuniary  enclosure.  Partly 
because  I  hoped  to  be  able  to  suggest  something 


chap.  vi.  METHODS  IN  LITERATURE.  295 

which  might  do  for  Excelsior?  and  partly  because  I 
had  not  a  receipt  stamp  in  the  house,  the  answer 
has  been  postponed  till  now.  I  believe  it  is  a 
general  rule  now  for  publishers  to  pay  all,  and  so 
relieve  themselves  of  sundry  inconveniences ;  but  I 
do  marvel  how  they  can  pay  for  the  literature  when 
they  can  sell  so  much  paper  for  5d. 

"The  post  will  hand  you,  along  with  this,  a 
Scottish  Review,  and  in  it  there  is  a  paper  on  the 
1  Public  House,'  which  I  hereby  recommend  you  to 
read.  It  is  not  long,  and  it  will  let  you  see  the 
kind  of  thing  I  am  fit  for.  My  line  lies  in  the  sturdy 
department  of  literature.  I  do  not  say  my  subjects 
are  confined  to  the  pot-house,  but  my  methods  are 
somewhat  of  the  ploughman  cast.  English  drawing- 
rooms  are  not  the  arena  best  fitted  for  showing  off 
my  beauties.  I  do  think  that  I  am  so  Scotch  that 
even  in  what  I  write  there  is  a  fitness  for  the  north, 
and  unfitness  for  the  soft,  sunny  south.  However, 
at  any  time  when  you  really  want  it,  I  can  and  will, 
on  very  short  warning,  give  you  a  little  touch,  with 
a  moral  in  it,  like  the  two  papers  already  given.  As 
to  any  other  kind  of  theme,  '  I  'spects  I've  growed 
too  rough  in  these  northern  latitudes  for  the  rules 
you  have  laid  down." 

Calls  for  public  work  had,  during  the  winter,  been 
so  many  and  so  urgent,  that  he  began  to  feel  his 
pastoral  work  in  danger  of  being  neglected.      Ac- 

1  A  periodical  then  edited  by  Dr.  Hamilton. 


2%  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT         chap.  vi. 

cordingl y  we  find  him  winding  up  all  his  miscel- 
laneous engagements,  and  making  arrangements 
for  giving  his  strength  during  the  remainder  of  the 
season  to  his  congregational  duties.  He  cannot 
choose  among  the  numerous  applications,  undertak- 
ing this  one,  and  refusing  that.  "  Total  abstinence  " 
he  finds  the  only  practicable  rule.  So  for  the  next 
few  months  the  entries  in  his  journal  and  letter- 
book  refer  exclusively  to  congregational  and  private 
matters.  Much  attention  is  given  to  the  affairs  of 
the  congregational  and  mission  schools  connected 
with  the  church,  involving  a  considerable  amount  of 
correspondence.  Then  comes  a  warm  letter  of  sym- 
pathy to  his  friend  James  Hamilton,  on  the  occasion 
of  his  mother's  death.  Then  a  long  letter  to  an 
early  friend,  who  was  now  by  illness  laid  aside  from 
all  active  work,  sympathising  with  him  in  his 
enforced  idleness,  and  giving  such  details  of  his 
own  busy  life  as  may  serve  to  interest  and  amuse 
the  invalid.  "  It  is  hard,"  he  says,  "  in  this  bustling 
scene  to  keep  the  heart's  loyalty  constant  to  the 
King  and  His  kingdom;  and  perhaps  you  could 
tell  me  it  is  hard  also  in  retirement.  I  am  old 
enough  to  know  this,  at  least,  that  it  is  not  '  lo  !  here,' 
or  '  lo !  there,'  if  the  kingdom  be  not  within  you." 
Next  a  kind  farewell  letter  to  a  young  man  con- 
nected with  the  congregation,  going  abroad.  Then 
notes  of  an  arrangement  with  his  remaining  relatives, 
whereby  an  old  aunt,  "  the  last  remnant  of  the  former 
generation,"  was  to  be  made  comfortable,  and  "  her 


H  OLID  A  VS.  297 


path  smoothed  in  old  age."  And  all  this  time  he 
is  true  to  his  resolution  of  avoiding  all  miscellane- 
ous engagements,  although  letters  and  deputations 
come  so  thickly  that  it  involves  some  labour  to 
refuse  them. 

June  and  July,  the  holiday  months  in  Glasgow, 
were  spent  this  year  at  Dunblane,  where  his  sister 
Janet  was  now  living.  For  many  years  her  house 
was  the  summer  retreat  for  the  family  during  at 
least  one  month,  the  second  being  generally  spent 
somewhere  at  the  seaside.  During  this  time,  how- 
ever, Mr.  Arnot  frequently  went  to  Glasgow  on  the 
Sabbath,  preached  to  his  people,  and  returned  to 
Dunblane  in  the  beginning  of  the  week.  On  his 
return  home,  he  again  threw  himself  with  all  his 
strength  into  his  congregational  work ;  not,  indeed, 
continuing  the  practice  of  that  total  abstinence  from 
public  work  which  he  found  necessary  in  the  spring, 
but  entering  sparingly  into  it,  "  maintaining  an 
attitude  of  defence  against  all  solicitations."  Espe- 
cially over  the  Sabbaths  was  he  jealously  watchful. 

To  Rev.  Lewis  Irving. 

"Glasgow,  26th  November  1855. 

"  My  dear  Sir, — 

"  .  .  .  .  Perhaps  it  is  a  weakness,  perhaps  a 
virtue,  perhaps  a  mixture  of  both,  but  at  all  events 
it  is  the  fact  that  few  things  prevail  to  take  me  a 
day  from  my  public  ministry  here.     It  is  the  great 


298  MEMOIR  OF  REV  W.  ARNOT.  chap.  vi. 

door  which  God  has  opened  to  me,  compared  to 
which  all  others  are  small,  and  I  feel  bound  to 
occupy  it  while  I  am  able.  I  have  been  only  one 
day  and  a  half  absent  since  the  beginning  of  August, 
and  the  day  was  the  necessary  repayment  of  sac- 
ramental assistance.  Kindest  regards  to  all  your 
family. — Ever  yours  affectionately, 

William  Arnot." 

And  is  this  not  the  result  and  the  reward  of  such 
anxious,  faithful  labour  in  his  own  corner  of  the 
vineyard  % 

DIARY. 

"  23d  October  1855. — A  greater  number  than  usual 
have  applied  for  admission  to  the  communion  for  the 
first  time.  About  38  applicants;  and  about  34  or  35 
will  be  admitted.  There  are  many  of  them  hopeful. 
I  have  had  three  meetings  with  them  on  Sabbath 
evenings,  which  have  been  to  me  refreshing  and 
encouraging." 

The  next  entry  bears  the  same  date. 

"  The  series  of  sermons  that  I  have  preached  since 
the  beginning  of  August,  is  more  elaborate  than 
usual.  I  hope  they  have  more  substance  in  them. 
I  have,  of  late,  enjoyed  considerably  the  lectures  in 
John.  It  is  a  great  privilege  to  open  in  a  large 
assembly  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  when  it  is  so  close 
to  His  person." 


chap,  vl  COMMUNION  SEASON.  299 

"  30th  October  1855. — The  Communion  season  has 
passed.  As  usual,  with  much  deadness,  I  have 
exjDerienced  here  and  there  some  good.  In  con- 
versing with  the  communicants  before  the  time,  and 
in  hearing  the  sermon  of  Islay  Burns  on  Sabbatli 
evening,  I  obtained  some  sensible  benefit.  I  desire 
to  recognise  it  as  my  business  to  please  God  and  do 
His  work.  One  good  of  having  been  permitted  to 
live  so  long  is,  I  have  had  better  opportunity  of 
weighing  other  things  than  younger  people ;  the 
world  has  not  so  much  brightness  as  it  seemed  to 
have  in  younger  years.  I  think  I  can  more  clearly 
perceive  now,  that  God's  service  in  the  world  is  the 
only  thing  that  makes  the  world  of  any  worth. 

"  I  have  before  me  now  the  easy  task  of  visiting 
three  districts  of  the  congregation,  which  I  hope  to 
complete  in  November.  Then  I  shall  have  visited 
the  whole  within  a  year,  and  have  the  three  winter 
months,  December,  January,  and  February  without 
any  heavy  visiting  I  think  my  method  of  visiting 
shortly,  and,  as  it  were,  cursorily,  has  many  advan- 
tages. I  have  gotten  good,  and  probably  given  it ; 
and  I  feel  that  the  method  is  capable  of  yet  more. 
I  hope  to  get  more  good  of  the  winter  months  in 
other  work,  when  I  have  not  the  duty  of  congrega- 
tional visiting  lying  heavy  on  my  mind." 

"  13th  Dec.  1855.— I  finished  the  visitation  of  the 
congregation  early  in  this  month.  I  began  it  in 
February.  It  is  the  first  time  that  I  have  visited 
the  whole  within  a  year.     I  should  here  set  up  the 


300  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.        chap.  vr. 

memorial,  "  Hitherto  the  Lord  hath  helped  me.'  I 
have  at  present  many  sick.  I  have  also  a  consider- 
able list  of  young  men  and  new  comers,  with  whom 
I  must  busy  myself  in  the  winter  months. 

"  I  have  written  a  New  Year's  tract  for  the  Tem- 
perance League,  and  a  tract  for  female  servants,  for 
Nelsons,  Edinburgh.  Of  reading,  there  has  not 
been  much  of  late ;  but  my  studies  for  the  preaching 
have  been  more  careful.  The  practice  of  reading 
the  sermons  in  the  afternoon,  begun  with  a  view  to 
the  hearing  in  the  church,  has  had  a  beneficial  effect 
on  the  preparation.  It  is  more  full  and  exact,  and 
less  is  left  to  be  extemporised  at  the  moment. 

"  The  children  are  in  good  health,  all.  I  record 
my  thankfulness  to  our  Father  in  heaven.  I  greatly 
enjoy  my  family ;  I  try  to  keep  in  mind  that  I  hold 
them  from  Him,  as  I  do  the  daily  bread." 

"26th  Dec. — Within  a  few  days  many  ailments 
and  many  deaths  among  my  dear  people.  Let  me 
mark  this;  I  desire  to  learn.  One  thing  I  need. 
Through  the  backsliding  of  my  own  heart,  and  the 
great  bustle  of  public  work  in  which  I  am  engaged, 
I  am  falling  into  coldness  and  formality.  I  pray 
that  this  may  be  an  occasion  of  reviving.  I  was  led 
last  night  to  resolve  that  whenever  I  finish  the 
Gospel  of  John — one  lecture, — I  shall  try  a  short 
series  on  the  12th  chapter  of  Hebrews.  I  am  not 
fit  to  deal  with  affliction.  It  is  therefore  suitable 
that  I  set  myself  down  as  a  learner  before  the  Word 
of  the  Lord." 


chap,  vl  LETTERS.  301 

To  Friends  who  had  lost  a  Little  Child. 

"Glasgow,  1st  December  1855. 

"  My  dear  Friends, — 

"  ....  A  family  of  little  children  is  a 
great  gift,  and  an  exquisite  enjoyment;  but  it 
constitutes  a  tender  place  about  a  parent,  on  which 
he  is  constantly  liable  to  receive  a  blow.  One 
who  has  that  tender  place  himself  can  better  suffer 
with  those  who  are  smitten.  How  hard  it  is, — 
how  much  grace  it  needs,  to  steer  in  the  middle 
between  two  extremes ;  to  enjoy  the  children  on 
the  one  hand  without  slavish  apprehension,  and 
yet  on  the  other  hand  to  continue  mindful  that 
we  have  no  sure  hold  of  them  even  for  a  day. 
We  would  need  to  give  them  up  as  it  were  every 
day  to  God ;  and  receive  them  as  we  receive  our 
food,  not  as  a  permanent  store,  but  for  the  day; 
and  give  them  over  and  get  them  back  to-morrow 
for  another  day." 

To  his  Sister-in-Law,  then  newly  married. 

"25th  December  1855. 

"  My  dear  Bessie, — I  was  obliged  to  go  out  in 
the  evening  yesterday,  and  could  not  enclose  a 
note  with  Jane's,  and  to-day  a  new  topic  has 
come  to  fill  my  heart  and  my  letter.  The  sweetest, 
heavenliest  union  in  the  Lord  that  I  ever  wit- 
nessed, has  turned  out  to  be  too  sweet  for  any  of 


302  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  vi. 

God's  children  to  be  allowed  to  enjoy  long  on  the 
earth.  The  bond  is  broken,  and  my  poor  dear 
brother  is  left  alone  again.  I  went  out  last  night 
after  tea  and  saw  him.  This  was  four  hours  after  her 
departure.  He  was  as  might  have  been  expected, 
alternately,  as  is  right,  appearing  the  great  Christian 
and  the  fond  husband — calmly  justifying  God's 
dealings,  and  at  intervals  breaking  into  great  fits 
of  sobbing,  as  the  memory  of  her  in  some  new 
aspect  suddenly  ran  through  his  heart. 

"  Oh,  my  dear  sister  and  brother,  I  do  not  desire 
to  mar  your  conjugal  joy  as  human  beings.  Our 
Father  in  heaven  does  not  deny  you  the  joy;  but 
I  warn  you,  to  strive  from  the  first  to  let  your 
union  be  in  the  Lord.  I  do  not  hold  up  for  that 
end  the  dread  of  separation,  but  the  contrary.  To 
be  given  over  to  enjoy  a  full  cup  of  earthly  pleasure, 
until  it  should  gradually  banish  Christ ;  this 
would  be  the  judgment  stroke.  Mark,  I  am  not 
lecturing  you  from  a  chair  of  authority :  on  the 
contrary,  if  I  had  stumbled  less,  I  would  probably 
have  said  less  of  the  stumbling-block  to  you.  I 
can  neither  dwell  on  this  theme  nor  introduce 
another.  I  wish  you  much  joy  in  this  first  stage 
of  your  union.  I  wish  that  your  joy  may  be  holy 
and  deep  and  enduring. — Your  brother, 

William  Arnot." 

As  usual  at  this  season  of  the  year,  engagements, 
public  and  private,  have  become  so  numerous  that 


chap.  vi.  ENGAGEMENTS.  303 

lie  has  hardly  an  hour  he  can  call  his  own.  The 
following  is  in  reply  to  an  invitation  which  he  would 
gladly  have  accepted. 


To  Rev.  Dr.  Henderson. 

"  27  Elmbank  Place,  Monday,  24th  December. 

"  My  dear  Dr.  Henderson, — Meeting  of  brethren ! 
Alas !  these  things  belong  to  an  age  gone  by.  I 
have  just  three  engagements  on  Wednesday  even- 
ing— (1)  Dinner,  from  6  to  8 ;  (2)  lecture  (weekly) 
to  my  Sabbath  school  teachers,  prelection  on  their 
lesson  for  next  week,  at  8.15 ;  and  (3)  soiree  in  the 
mission  district,  Broomielaw,  at  9.20. 

"By  a  peculiar  conjunction  of  circumstances,  I 
am  dragged  to  Greenock  this  evening,  after  giving 
Wednesday  last  week  at  a  great  sacrifice  to  public 
and  private  duty.  I  am  a  little  confused  and  down- 
hearted, and  yet  not  unhappy  after  all.  It  is  good 
even  for  my  health,  I  believe,  to  be  driven  round 
somewhat  rapidly. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 


To  Rev.  W.  Scrymgeour. 

"  Glasgow,  27  th  December,  1855. 

"  My  DEAR  Sir, — I  have  received  your  note, .  and 
I  am  very  much  interested  in  its  statement.  So 
much   so,  indeed,  that  I  write  this   note,  a   single 


304  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vi. 

affirmative  among  more  negatives  than  I  would  like 
to  tell  you.  In  regard  to  the  ravages  of  intemper- 
ance, we  have  need — the  Lord  has  need — of  many- 
strong  Christian  testimonies  :  and  alas !  the  majority 
of  Christians  in  this  country,  eminent  for  attain- 
ments, stand  aloof  in  jealous  silence.  I  do  not  feel 
well  to-day.  I  have  an  excess  of  labour  at  this 
season  here ;  but  I  hope  I  may  be  somewhat  easier 
at  the  end  of  January,  and  if  the  Lord  is  pleased 
to  spare  me  and  give  me  strength,  I  shall  be  glad 
to  speak  a  word  from  Him  and  for  Him  against 
that  wile  of  the  devil,  in  Linlithgow,  on  the  31st. 
Announce  it  any  way  you  like,  as  lecture  or  sermon, 
as  you  think  may  be  best  fitted  to  bring  the  people 
out,  and  I  shall  act  accordingly.  I  shall  come  out 
in  time  for  evening  service,  and  expect  to  get  back 
at  nine. — Yours,  William  Arnot." 

A  similar  appeal  from  Greenock  was  declined, 
chiefly  on  the  ground  of  his  having  lectured  there 
recently  on  the  same  subject ;  but  after  stating  this 
reason  he  gives  another,  which  is  worthy  of  con- 
sideration both  from  abstinence  societies  and  from 
the  class  of  ministers  to  whom  he  refers. 

"  Besides,  whatever  I  could  do  on  the  evening  of 
a  Fast-day  could  be  done  by  a  minister  who  is  not  a 
member  of  any  society,  and  should  be  done  by  him. 
I  do  not  want  it  to  be  assumed  that  nobody  but 
abstainers  can  do  this.  Other  ministers  ought  to 
be  asked  to   preach  sermons  specially   against  the 


chap.  vi.  TEMPERANCE  WORK.  305 

temptations  and  approaches  to  this  terrible  vice.  I 
believe  a  great  step  would  be  gained,  if  those  who 
are  zealous  in  our  societies  would  approach  minis- 
ters not  identified  with  the  movement,  and  get 
them  to  throw  themselves  into  it,  as  far  as  they 
see  their  way.  It  is  a  weakness  when  the  people 
are  left  to  think  that  only  persons  of  extreme  views 
meddle  with  the  subject. " 

The  work  which  he  did  in  this  department  was 
undertaken  from  a  strong  sense  of  duty.  Though 
he  did  not  allow  public  opinion  to  influence  him  in 
the  matter,  he  was  by  no  means  indifferent  to  it, 
and  often  keenly  felt  the  position  in  which  his 
advocacy  of  temperance  principles  placed  him,  both 
in  society  and  among  his  brethren  in  the  ministry. 
In  a  letter  to  a  friend  about  this  time  he  says  : — 
"  I  have  something  to  bear  in  connection  with  this, 
and  I  bear  it  willingly.  I  am  counted  a  kind  of 
out-of-the-way  enthusiast,  when  I  know  that  I  am 
not.  I  know  that  my  view  of  the  case  is  more 
soberly  just  and  true  than  that  of  my  adversaries, 
But  then,  for  the  sake  of  the  cause  and  my  own 
power  of  helping  it,  I  shrink  from  giving  to  those 
who  watch  for  it  any  plausible  ground  of  assault. 
I  must  not  put  it  in  the  power  of  any  to  say  that  for 
that  work  I  neglect  my  home  duties." 

DIARY. 

"  18th  May  1856. — I  have  done  a  good  deal  of 
u 


306  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.        chap.  vi. 

work  all  the  winter.  Generally  the  lectures  and 
sermons  for  Sabbath  have  been  more  thoroughly 
prepared  than  formerly.  The  practice  of  reading 
more  has  had  a  great  effect  on  the  method  and 
degree  of  the  preparation.  In  this  respect  it  has 
been  a  decided  benefit.  I  have  done  much  in  public 
meetings.  In  some  of  these  I  have  had  comfort, 
and  seemed  to  have  help,  especially  one  great  meet- 
ing, in  defence  of  the  Sabbath,  in  the  City  Hall.  I 
have  undertaken  a  literary  labour  for  the  kingdom 
of  Christ,  which  promises  fair — a  paper  every  month, 
for  a  year,  in  the  Family  Paper — a  new  religious 
newspaper,  which  sells  for  a  halfpenny.  I  have 
written  six  papers  in  the  first  five  numbers.  I  have 
also  written  for  the  press  a  lecture  on  Christian 
Philanthropy,  and  a  small  tract  on  the  '  Right  of 
every  Man  to  the  Sabbath.'" 

"  18th  May  1856. — Again,  at  this  date,  I  am  in- 
volved in  controversy  on  the  management  of  the 
Sustentation  Fund.  I  have  distinct  views  on  it, 
and  strong  convictions  of  their  truth  and  import- 
ance. I  stated  my  views  at  the  Presbytery  feebly 
and  confusedly  indeed,  but  entirely  clear  of  any- 
thing offensive  to  any  one ;  yet  controversy,  some- 
what sharp,  has  grown  out  of  it  in  private.  How 
difficult  it  is  to  have  different  judgments  on  public 
questions,  and  keep  all  right  with  the  personal 
riendships.  It  is  too  great  a  tumult  in  my  mind. 
In  the  preparation  for  preaching  yesterday,  it  was 
like  the  current  of  the  Amazon  crossing  the  Gulf 


CONTRO  VERS  V.  307 


Stream.  My  great  object  should  be  to  have  truth 
held,  aud  iiseful  truth  proclaimed,  with  the  least 
possible  offeuce,  consistent  with  duty.  May  the 
Lord  give  me  clearness,  and  deliver  me  from  the 
bias  of  self-love  !  My  real  policy  is  to  take  the 
straight  line — as  straight  as  God  would  have  it — 
whatever  effect  it  should  have  on  the  side  I  have 
espoused.  I  hate  twists  in  other  people  :  I  should 
search  jealously  for  them  in  myself." 

"  8th  June. — Yesterday  I  preached  at  home  all 
day  with  some  measure  of  comfort.  I  have  fairly 
commenced  a  new  series  of  lectures  on  Exodus.  I 
hope  to  get  good  from  it,  and  get  the  people 
interested  in  the  subject. 

"  In  the  evening  yesterday,  and  this  morning,  I 
have  read  a  large  portion  of  the  Memoir  of  Hedley 
Vicars.  It  is  a  wonderfully  quickening  example.  1 
thank  God  for  such  a  burning  and  shining  light.  I 
feel  that  to  read  it  does  me  good.  A  wonderful  way 
God  has  in  working.  The  death  of  that  young  dis- 
ciple was  the  means  of  setting  his  light  on  a  candle- 
stick, that  it  might  shine  across  the  Christian  world. 

"  Arrangements  have  been  made  for  a  residence  at 
Anstruther  in  July,  in  exchange  with  the  minister 
there.  I  have  great  plans  for  study.  I  hope,  if  my 
health  is  spared,  to  do  the  chief  part  of  the  work  of 
preparing  lectures  on  the  Proverbs  for  the  press." 

"  22d  June.—  This  is  Sabbath,  and  I  am  alone  in 
the  house  with  one  servant.  How  silent  is  the 
dwelling!     It  suggests  the  thought  to  me,  what  if 


308  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.        chap.  vi. 

the  Lord  who  gave  the  children  should  take  them 
away !  I  do  not  know  how  I  could  bear  it.  I  cer- 
tainly do  not  at  present  feel  within  me  the  vigour 
that  could  bear  the  stroke ;  but  it  is  better  that  I  do 
not.  'As  thy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength  be.'  One 
thing  is  needful :  if  I  am  Christ's,  all  things  are  mine. 
"I  am  allowing  myself  to  get  more  into  the  concerns 
of  presbyteries  and  assemblies.  This  is  not,  I  think, 
to  be  regretted.  My  danger  before  lay  in  the  line 
of  retiring  in  disgust,  because  of  certain  very  gross 
abuses  by  certain  persons.  Such  a  retirement,  even 
when  there  was  cause,  was  dangerous  to  my  own 
spirit.  It  is  more  healthful  to  be  in  the  place  of 
duty,  doing  my  best  in  every  sphere  to  which  the 
Lord  has  called  me.  I  find  it  very  hard  to  bear  with 
the  frailties  of  men.  It  is  also  difficult  to  know 
wherein  I  should  faithfully  denounce,  and  wherein  I 
should  wrap  the  mantle  of  charity  round  the  failings 
of  a  brother.  I  would  need  wisdom  from  above.  On 
the  one  hand  I  am  afraid  of  peevish  fault-finding,  and 
on  the  other  of  indolent,  unworthy,  cowardly  silence." 

The  month  of  July  was  spent  by  the  whole  family 
at  Anstruther,  the  arrangement  being  an  inter- 
change both  of  houses  and  pulpits  with  Mr.  Gregory, 
the  Free  Church  minister  there.  A  memorandum 
left  in  his  study  for  Mr.  Gregory's  guidance,  con- 
tains, after  full  information  as  to  the  church  and  the 
services,  the  followiug  instruction  : — 

44  The    little    oak-painted    press    in    two    halves, 


chap.  vi.  ANSTRUTHER.  309 

fitting  loose  on  each  other,  contains  my  MSS.,  and 
in  case  of  accident  is  my  chief  valuable,  to  be  rescued 
first."  The  same  instruction  was  frequently  given 
to  servants  or  others  left  in  charge  when  he  was 
from  home. 

DIARY. 

"  11th  August  1856.— On  Friday,  the  8th  curt.,  we 
returned  from  Anstruther,  whither  we  had  gone 
with  the  whole  household  on  the  8th  July.  We 
enjoyed  it  much  in  all  respects.  The  change  was 
complete.  I  had  good  opportunities  of  preaching 
every  Sabbath,  and  yet  was  relieved  from  the 
mental  labour  of  the  preparation.  Our  habits  of 
life  were  regular.  I  kept  an  exact  register  of  the 
time  of  rising  during  all  the  thirty-one  days,  and 
the  average  was  6h.  55m.  This  is  a  decided  im- 
provement on  my  habits  of  former  vacations.  As  to 
work,  I  partly  revised  and  partly  wrote  245  pages 
(print)  of  Proverbs  for  the  press,  and  wrote  the  second 
paper  on  Rights  of  Man,  for  Family  Paper.  Also  I  re- 
vised and  corrected  Tract  for  Monthly  Visitor,  en- 
titled '  Pleasures  of  Sin,'  which  Mr.  Dickson  had  got 
printed  direct  from  my  Sermon  in  MS.  During  the 
same  time  I  attended  a  committee  meeting  in  Edin- 
burgh ;  preached  at  Largo ;  lectured  at  Cupar,  Pit- 
tenweem,  and  Anstruther  on  temperance.  I  have 
learned  some  lessons  as  to  the  best  method  of  em- 
ploying a  vacation.  I  find  that  regular  work  for  a 
portion  of  the  day  makes  me  enjoy  recreation  all 


310  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap,  vl 

the  more  afterward.  Generally,  I  sat  at  my  desk 
from  an  early  hour  in  the  morning  till  two,  and 
took  exercise  in  the  afternoon.  I  have  now  the 
prospect  of  a  volume  of  400  pages  in  October.  It 
has  sweetened  my  retirement  to  be  entirely  free 
from  controversy  and  thoughts  about  controversy." 

In  addition  to  his  private  study  while  at  An- 
struther,  he  gave  daily  lessons  in  the  rudiments  of 
Latin  to  his  two  girls,  the  eldest  of  whom  was  at 
that  time  between  nine  and  ten  years  of  age. 
These  lessons  are  distinctly  remembered  yet.  No 
book  was  used,  the  different  declensions  being  care- 
fully written  out  in  a  large  clear  hand  for  them 
to  learn  by  heart.  Other  memories  of  that  holiday 
time  rise  in  great  distinctness  as  we  write.  The 
Crimean  war  was  drawing  to  its  close,  and  was 
the  universal  topic  of  conversation.  Little  ones, 
who  had  very  dim  notions  of  what  wars  and  battles 
meant,  were  familiar  with  the  hard-sounding  names 
of  Balaklava  and  Inkermann,  and  used  them  freely 
in  their  play.  The  manse  garden  was  so  near  the 
sea,  that,  there  was  a  door  in  the  wall  opening 
directly  on  the  shore ;  but  the  level  of  the  garden 
was  considerably  higher  than  that  of  the  beach, 
and  no  steps  having  been  provided,  the  door  was 
useless  except  for  the  purpose  of  throwing  out 
rubbish  from  the  garden.  A  great  soft  heap  of 
weeds  had  accumulated  below,  and  Mr.  Arnot,  im- 
patient of  the  circuitous  route  which  led  from  the 


chap,  vx  HOLIDA  Y  EMPLO  YMENTS.  311 

front  of  the  house  to  the  sea,  soon  got  into  the 
habit  of  leaping  down  from  the  garden  door  on  to 
the  weeds  below.  Finding  the  short  cut  convenient, 
he  was  desirous  of  extending  its  benefits  to  others, 
and  also  of  having  the  use  of  it  for  his  own  ingress  as 
well  as  egress.  Setting  his  wits  to  work  to  extem- 
porise a  ladder,  he  soon  found  a  great  forked 
branch  of  a  tree,  blown  down  by  some  recent  storm, 
which  seemed  as  if  made  for  his  purpose.  This  he 
set  up  against  the  wall,  making  it  fast  below  with 
heavy  stones,  and  soon  had  both  children  and  ser- 
vants taught  to  make  fearless  and  constant  use  of  it. 

During  a  similar  pleasant  holiday,  the  following 
year,  at  Aberdour,  he  read  aloud  to  his  children 
Longfellow's  poem  of  Hiawatha.  The  peculiar 
rhythm  of  it  took  his  fancy,  and  he  would  fre- 
quently improvise  long  screeds  of  mock  heroic  verse 
in  imitation  of  it.  Any  little  incident  at  home  or 
in  his  walks  furnished  a  subject,  and  he  would  pro- 
ceed as  uninterruptedly  as  if  reciting  from  a  book 
If  a  rhyme  was  wanted,  and  did  not  immediately 
present  itself,  a  word  was  coined  to  suit  the 
emergency.  Some  of  these  lines  still  linger  in  the 
memories  of  his  youthful  and  admiring  audience. 

The  first  volume  of  the  Lectures  on  Proverbs  was 
published  in  the  autumn  of  this  year.  When  it  was 
nearly  through  the  press,  the  publishers  wrote  ask- 
ing a  title.  This  was  a  point  which  he  considered 
of  some  importance,  and  one  which  always  cost  him 
some  time  and  trouble  to  decide ;  not  from  any  lack 


312  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A R 'NOT.        chap.  vi. 

of  ideas  on  the  subject,  but  rather  from  their  super- 
abundance. For  every  book  he  wrote  he  had  a  list 
of  titles,  usually  a  dozen  or  more,  any  one  of  which 
would  have  been  quite  suitable ;  and  the  difficulty 
was  to  decide  which  of  these  was  on  the  whole  best. 

To  Thomas  Nelson,  Esq. 

"  Glasgow,  4th  November  1856. 

"My  dear  Sir, — 'A  title  for  the  book!'  I  have 
a  back  load  of  them,  but  I  can't  determine  which  is 
best  or  worst.  Here  is  a  selection  on  this  broad  sheet." 
(The  '  selection  '  comprised  a  list  of  eighteen.) 

"  There  they  are,  and  I  do  not  know  how  many 
more  I  can  give  you.  I  give  them,  without  indicat- 
ing a  preference.  If  you,  from  the  publisher's  view- 
point, see  any  of  them  better  or  worse  than  their 
neighbours,  give  me  your  suggestion.  I  do  not  say 
that  I  would  absolutely  submit,  but  it  would  weigh 
well  with  me.  I  shall  give  you  a  negative — a  veto 
on  any  that  I  might  myself  prefer. 

"  It  is  difficult  to  get  proverbs  into  the  first  line  o 
the  title — the  handle  by  which  people  will  hold  it. 
It  would  be  desirable  ;  but  the  fact  that  my  book  is 
not  a  continuous  exposition  seems  to  forbid  it. 
Observe,  I  don't  like  shams  and  clap-traps.  I  want 
the  exactest  description  of  the  book  in  the  shortest 
form  and  most  memorable  words." 

DIARY. 

"  5th    December. — The    book  was   published    on 


chap.  vi.      "  ILL  USTRA  TIONS  OF  PRO  VERBS?  313 

Saturday  last.  Hitherto  it  seems  well  received. 
Its  title — the  one  chosen  by  the  publisher  out  of  a 
great  number  which  I  sent  to  him — is  '  Laws  from 
Heaven  for  Life  on  Earth  :  Illustrations  of  the  Book 
of  Proverbs.'  It  has  430  pages,  and  is  beautifully 
printed.  I  have  some  comfort  in  connection  with 
it.  The  work  was  interesting  to  myself,  and  no 
burden.  Nothing  was  neglected  for  it ;  and  there 
was  no  late  sitting.  I  hope  it  may  spread,  and  pray 
for  its  success.  It  sets  up  the  Lord's  word  and  way, 
and  applies  them  without  partiality  to  men.  It  is 
very  pleasant  to  be  employed  in  the  work  of  right- 
eousness in  any  department  and  to  any  extent. 

"I  have  written  a  third  New  Year's  address  on 
temperance,  entitled  '  My  Brother's  Keeper.'  This 
also  I  do  as  in  the  Lord's  sight,  and  have  liberty  in 
pleading  with  Him  to  bless  it.  I  have  been  making 
some  public  efforts  against  the  establishment  of  an 
immense  dram-shop  in  Trongate,  under  the  auspices 
of  personages  who  are  high  in  office.  Courage  on 
the  one  side  and  gentleness  on  the  other  1  Lord, 
increase  my  faith  !  It  is  a  noble  opportunity,  if  I 
am  enabled  to  keep  old  Adam  down,  and  do  right- 
eously and  charitably  my  very  duty. 

"  Yesterday  evening  I  attended  a  pretty  large 
party  in  Mr.  Nelson's  house,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
induction  of  Andrew  Bonar  to  the  new  church  at 
Finnieston.  The  meeting  was  most  refreshing.  A 
mixture,  wisely  planned  and  well  sustained,  of 
general  conversation  in  groups,  and  praise,  reading 


314  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.        chap.  vi. 

of  Scripture,  prayer,  and  address.  Many  were 
quietly  remarking  that  it  was  more  congruous  with 
the  occasion  than  a  dinner  and  toasting.  So  good 
it  was,  that  I  wonder,  both  at  myself  and  others, 
why  it  is  so  seldom  experienced.  It  was  like  a 
company  of  Christians." 

"10th  January  1857  (Saturday). — Another  memor- 
able day  1  A  daughter  this  morning  at  four  o'clock. 
.  .  .  .  'She  hath  borne  seven;'  six  are  alive — 
four  girls  and  two  boys.  Forget  not  all  His 
benefits  !  My  eldest  girl,  now  fully  ten,  sat  at  the 
head  of  the  table  to-day  at  dinner,  and  poured  out 
my  tea  this  evening.  Although  she  is  still  so  much 
the  child  that  her  effort  is  very  little  help,  yet  her 
presence  goes  kindly  about  my  heart.  I  have 
endeavoured  to  lay  this  youngest  child  on  the  Lord 
before  birth,  and  to-day  again  after  it.  I  am  pre- 
paring to  preach  to-morrow  on  the  spirit  of  adop- 
tion— a  subject  which  I  need  certainly  as  much  as 
my  hearers.  I  find  a  strong  tendency  in  me  to 
grow  formal  by  habit.  I  need  new  circumstances. 
This  evening  I  was  comfortable  and  free  in  family 
worship,  partly  because  all  had  gone  to  bed  except 
the  nursery-maid,  and  the  family  prayer  of  two 
greatly  interested  me,  while  ten  others  were  slum- 
bering under  the  same  roof." 

To  H.  Handyside,  Esq. 

"Glasgow,  3d  April  1857. 
"  DEAR   Sir, — I    write  in    reply   to    your   circular 


chap.  vi.  DEPARTMENTS  OF  WORK.  315 

regarding  evangelistic  operations  for  the  summer. 
I  have  considered  the  matter  carefully.  I  have  been 
uneasy  on  that  question  for  several  years.  In  that 
department  I  have  done  next  to  nothing,  and  the 
applications  from  year  to  year  become  painful. 
They  compel  me  to  examine  the  case  from  the 
bottom,  and  here  is  the  result : — 

"  1.  I  have  on  my  hand  more  than  an  average 
share  of  miscellaneous  public  work,  not  connected 
with  the  Free  Church. 

"  2.  I  have  more  than  an  average  share  of  public 
(not  committee  or  ecclesiastic)  work  within  the  Free 
Church — e.  g.,  between  the  last  and  next  Assembly 
two  whole  Sabbaths  at  the  opening  of  Free  Churches 
in  distant  places,  and  two  half  ditto  assisting  at 
collections  for  debt  on  others. 

"  3.  I  have  a  mission  church  constituted,  a  sort  of 
tender  to  the  larger  St.  Peter's,  in  which  I  dispense 
the  Lord's  Supper  twice  a  year,  and  of  which  in  all 
other  matters  I  must  take  some  superintendence, 
preaching  from  time  to  time  at  the  administration 
of  baptisms. 

"  4.  My  local  congregational  charge  here  is  of 
more  than  average  bulk  and  importance — large 
and  important  in  proportion  to  any  mission 
sphere  to  which  for  some  weeks  I  might  be 
transferred. 

"  5.  In  this  city,  and  with  my  work,  a  rest  of  at 
least  four  weeks  is  necessary  every  year  for  my 
health;  and   in  simplest  duty   to  my   people  I  am 


316  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vi. 

bound  to  take  it  (not  necessarily  rest  from  Sabbath 
preaching,  but  from  week-day  work). 

"  No  one  of  these  alone  constitutes  a  bar ;  but 
altogether,  in  my  judgment,  they  decide  that  I  am 
not  the  person  who  should  be  nominated  to  that 
work.  I  would  work  as  willingly  in  that  depart- 
ment as  in  any  other,  if  I  could  believe  that  I  am 
required  or  permitted. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

diary. 

"  14th  June  1857.— At  the  age  of  full  forty-eight 
1  enjoy  all  my  powers.  They  seem  to  be  at  their 
best ;  but  the  time  must  be  short.  I  must  do  now 
what  my  hand  finds  to  do.  After  about  a  year  and 
a  half  my  life,  if  I  live,  will  enter  on  the  sixth 
decade — the  Saturday  of  life's  week — the  last  full 
work  day.  How  much  I  should  do  in  what  may 
remain  of  life  !  How  much  I  might  do  if  that  other 
day  be  given  me !  The  right  attitude  would  be 
loving  the  work  and  loving  also  the  prospect  of 
rest." 

In  September  of  this  year  he  attended  the  meet- 
ings of  the  Evangelical  Alliance  at  Berlin,  this  being 
his  first  taste  of  Continental  travel,  though  in  after 
years  he  took  very  frequent  runs  across  the  Channel. 
The  second  volume  of  the  Proverbs  was  then  passing 
through  the  press,  and  he  worked  hard  at  the  proof 
sheets  during  the  first  stages  of  his  journey,  posting 


chap.  vi.  JOURNEY  TO  BERLIN.  317 

them  at  Dover  along  with  a  letter  to  his  wife.  He 
is  evidently  in  good  spirits,  and  looking  forward  to 
the  journey  with  much  anticipation  of  enjoyment. 
The  next  report  was  from  Brussels. 

These  letters,  and  indeed  most  of  those  written 
on  his  Continental  journeys,  are  freely  interspersed 
with  pen-and-ink  sketches,  rough  but  vivid  and 
characteristic,  for  the  amusement  and  instruction  of 
the  children. 

To  his  Wife. 

"Brussels,  1st  September  1857. 

"My  DEAR  Jane,— I  have  halted  at  last.  The 
whirl  in  which  I  have  whirled  since  I  left  Glasgow 
yesterday,  has  been  no  common  whirl.  I  have 
passed  through  three  kingdoms  in  a  little  less  than 
thirty-six  hours,  besides  a  night  in  bed  in  the  capital 
of  the  world.  I  am  very  well,  and  fit  for  anything. 
I  am  not  fatigued.  A  little  hum  in  my  head  by  the 
noise  of  the  railway  is  all. 

"  I  took  my  ticket  at  Glasgow  through  to  London. 
The  day  was  very  fine,  and  all  the  objects  pleasant. 
The  harvest  in  such  Aveather  is  a  gladsome  sight. 
The  greater  part  of  the  crop  had  disappeared  from 
the  fields.  So  little  time  was  given  at  the  stations, 
that  all  the  food  I  got  was  a  single  cup  of  tea  and  a 
penny  roll  in  my  hand  at  Stafford.  When  I  reached 
London  it  was  too  late,  and  so  I  went  to  bed  with- 
out supper.  The  hotel  I  tried  was  full,  and  they 
sent  me  over  to  a  sort  of  boarding-house  in  Cheap- 


318  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vi. 

side,  where  I  found  a  very  good  room  to  sleep  in, 
but  a  very  indifferent  breakfast  this  morning. 

•"  On  the  way,  and  at  night  from  11  till  12,  I 
worked  at  the  proofs ;  then  I  went  to  bed,  and  rose 
at  5.30.  To  work  again  till  half-past  seven ;  break- 
fast, and  off  with  the  train  for  Dover  at  8.15. 
Cloudy  and  showery  till  midday.  Resumed  the 
proofs  and  finished  them  in  time.  At  Tunbridge  left 
my  seat,  and  found  my  way  to  the  can  in  which  the 
railway  porters  keep  their  paste ;  was  in  the  act  of 
brushing  it  on,  when  the  alarm  was  given;  bolted 
into  the  carriage,  not,  however,  until  I  had  secured 
my  object.  I  addressed  it  to  Edinburgh.  Then  I 
began  to  fear  I  could  not  get  a  letter  for  you  from 
our  own  shores.  As  a  last  resource  I  proceeded  to 
scribble  in  the  train,  and  at  Dover  I  entrusted  your 
letter  and  Nelson's  package  to  a  railway  official,  who 
said  he  would  post  them.  I  hope  yours  has  come 
to  hand.  Lest  any  accident  may  have  befallen  it,  I 
may  repeat  the  two  business  injunctions 

"  The  last  stages  of  the  English  railway  carried 
me  over  new  ground.  One  agricultural  feature  that 
arrests  a  northman's  eye  is  the  prevalence  of  the 
hop.  It  is  physically  a  beautiful  object,  but  the 
moral  associations  are  not  attractive  to  me.  I  would 
rather  see  a  crop  of  potatoes 

"  Dover,  to  my  eye,  is  quite  enchanting.  The  sea 
is  real  there,  as  it  is  at  Anstruther;  none  of  your 
second-hand  sea-water,  one  half  sea,  and  the  other 
half  the  suds  of  a  great  city.     The  harbour  seems  to 


chap.  vi.     FIRST  CONTINENTAL  EXPERIENCES.    319 

have  been  constructed  without  regard  to  expense. 
It  is  chiefly  occupied  by  mail  steamers,  French  and 
English ;  the  intercourse  is  immense  :  we  are  adding 
every  day  to  the  strength  of  the  barrier  which  keeps 
the  two  nations  from  fighting.  Railways  help  in  the 
blessed  work  of  peacemaking.  Already,  at  London, 
the  ticket  of  the  railway  company  is  printed  on  both 
sides — French  on  one  side  and  English  on  the  other. 
If  Jane  had  been  with  me,  it  would  have  served  her 
for  a  first  lesson  in  French. 

"  Considerable  wind.  Some  spray  came  over  us ; 
but  it  was  child's  play  to  my  last  passage  from 
Edinburgh  to  Burntisland.  We  landed  at  Calais 
about  one  o'clock.  The  entrance  to  the  harbour  is 
constructed  precisely  like  that  of  Leith,  but  not 
nearly  so  long.  Fair  and  sunny  when  we  got 
ashore.  Very  funny  to  see  the  monsieurs  high  and 
low,  and  hear  their  gibber.  But  the  first  glance 
gives  impression,  instant  and  indelible,  that  the 
labouring  men  at  the  harbour  are  a  cleaner,  and 
soberer,  and  happier  race,  than  those  who  occupy  a 
similar  post  at  Leith  or  Greenock.  You  could  not 
see  one  dirty,  greasy  fellow  among  them.  You 
could  comfortably  sit  down  beside  any  one  of  them. 
I  don't  certify  their  beauty ;  I  speak  only  of  their 
tidiness.  There  is  not  much  difficulty ;  I  looked 
how  others  did,  and  did  the  same  thing,  and  '  spak 
naething.'  At  the  railway  and  passport  office,  I 
merely  announced  nouns,  and  carefully  eschewed 
the  intricacies  of  the  verb,  with  its  potentials  and 


320  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.        chap.  vi. 

other  moods,  in  which  a  stranger  is  apt  to  lose 
himself.  I  managed  to  get  through  my  facings  in 
time  to  give  me  fifteen  minutes  for  dinner  at  the 
station ;  was  extravagant  therein,  seeing  that  I  got 
no  dinner  yesterday,  and  not  a  superfine  breakfast 
to-day.  Soup,  and  roast  mutton,  and  pommes  de 
terre.     It  cost  me  2fr.  5c,  somewhat  about  Is.  8d. 

"  Off  we  go.  The  second-class  carriage  is  all  that 
is  said  of  it.  Our  railway  people  are  barbarians. 
They  make  the  carriages  torturously  hard,  of  design 
to  compel  people  by  pains  and  penalties  to  pay  for 
cushions.  Off  we  go !  and  now  for  parlez-vous.  It 
has  a  queer  effect  upon  me.  Every  signboard  and 
every  placard  on  the  streets  is  French.  I  under- 
stand everything  I  see,  and  very  little  of  what  I 
hear.  However,  I  opened  my  ears  well,  and  began 
to  swallow  a  little.  My  mind  kindled  up  into  great 
intensity,  and  I  thought  all  my  thoughts  in  French. 
My  first  real  speech  however,  happened  thus — for 
there  is  nothing  like  giving  the  natural  history  of  a 
thing.  At  Lille  we  change  carriages,  and  inarch 
round  to  another  platform.  I  was  rounding  the 
extremity  of  the  journey,  when  some  one  laid  his 
hand  on  me,  saying,  '  Pretty  traveller  you,  away 
without  your  hat.'  He  was  an  Englishman  who  had 
been  in  the  same  carriage.  My  felt  was  on,  and  I 
forgot  the  genteel  one.  Back  I  ran  at  full  speed; 
an  official  stopped  me,  gibbering  a  question  with 
'  oh,  mo7isieur  ? '  in  it.  Without  slackening  speed,  I 
touched  my  head  and  sang  out  '  rnon  chapecm.'     This 


chap.  vi.  A  FRENCH  CUSTOM-HOUSE.  321 

was  instinctive ;  I  hope  the  gender  was  correct.  I 
got  it 

"  One  noble  French  countrywoman  came  in  for  a 
stage — like  a  farmer's  or  a  shopkeeper's  wife ;  fine 
specimen  of  feminine  humanity ;  approaching  rather 
a  shade  too  much  to  the  masculine  in  physical  bulk, 
but  quite  gentle  in  manner 

"  In  process  of  time  we  came  to  the  frontier  at  a 
place  called  Moucron, — no  town  that  I  could  see, 
except  some  hotels.  We  leave  the  carriage  and 
march  into  the  salle  de  visite.  The  luggage  is  ranged 
round  a  rectangular  fortification  of  benches ;  the  Bel- 
gian custom  officers  are  inside ;  the  passenger  recog- 
nises his  own  luggage,  opens  it,  gets  it  searched  and 
chalked,  and  then  it  is  taken  back  to  the  carriages. 
I  marched  into  the  interior  with  the  officers,  having 
espied  my  portmanteau  there.  '  Au  dessus,  monsieur,' 
said  an  authority — a  brief  one, — whereupon  I  leaped 
the  barrier  on  the  opposite  side,  and  was  sooner 
brought  to  action  than  if  I  had  wriggled  round 
legitimately.  Getting  my  hands  on  my  goods,  I 
called  out  'Id,  monsieur,'  with  a  very  an  fait  look,  to 
the  gentleman  of  the  customs  who  was  nearest,  and 
the  thing  was  done.  I  got  off  among  the  first.  I 
got  through  the  passport  pen  with  equal  facility  by 
dint  of  monosyllabic  speeches  with  no  verbs.  They 
take  you  from  pen  to  pen,  like  sheep  at  the  washing, 
and  let  you  out  at  the  last  one  when  you  are 
clean 

"  Nature  is  nature  in  France  too.  Thereof  I  ob- 
x 


322  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.        chap.  vi. 

served  one  proof.  At  a  place  called  Turcoign,  a 
little  town  a  stage  or  two  from  Lille,  I  was  look- 
ing from  the  window,  and  saw  the  passengers 
leaving  the  train.  A  family  group  took  my  eye. 
In  it  a  girl,  like  Jane,  was  carrying  a  pretty 
large  toy  drum,  very  conspicuous  in  its  colours 
and  dress.  Outside  the  gate  of  the  station,  peep- 
ing through  the  rails,  were  the  portion  of  the 
family  who  had  remained  at  home.  Said  little 
Jane,  who  had  been  at  town,  saw  there  the 
Willie  of  the  house,  and  oh,  how  she  ran  for- 
ward, brandishing  the  drum  over  her  head,  her 
eyes  gleaming  with  the  joy  of  benevolence,  and 
screaming  "a  vous."  No  doubt  he  is  a  happy 
Willie  this  night  because  he  has  got  it,  and  she 
is  a  happy  Jane   to-night   because  she   brought   it 

home  and  gave  it 

"  There  is  a  peculiar  delight  in  boring  your  own 
way  through  new  rock,  without  anybody  to  bore 
before  you.  Indeed,  if  it  must  be  confessed,  my 
chief  pleasure  here  is  to  be  alone.  With  an  in- 
timate and  congenial  friend,  I  would  enjoy  it 
most,  but  failing  that,  the  next  best  is  the  charm 
of  solitude 

"  Wednesday,  2d. 

"I  did  all  the  preceding  scrawl  last  night,  and 
went  to  bed  a  few  minutes  after  midnight.  Slept 
very  well,  and  rose  at  six  to-day.  Have  dressed, 
and  arranged  all  my  affairs,  and  have  remembered 


WA  TERLOO.  323 


you  all.     I  find  when  I  am  so  far  away,  I  must  say- 
over  all  the  names." 

"  Brussels,  2d  Sept.  1857. 

"Dearest  Jane, — I  begin  to-night  my  second 
bulletin.  The  best  of  the  day  was  spent  on  the 
field  of  Waterloo.  I  must  not  attempt  a  descrip- 
tion. It  would  do  no  good ;  but  I  could,  by  aid 
of  a  plan,  talk  you  into  a  good  idea  of  the  battle 
field  now.  One  object  arrested  and  impressed  me 
greatly,  all  the  more  because  I  had  never  noticed 
auy  description  of  it — the  forest  of  Soignies  be- 
tween Brussels  and  Waterloo.  If  I  could  have 
spared  another  day,  I  would  have  gone  and  spent 
it  in  that  wood.  It  was  quite  a  new  scene  to 
me.  I  do  not  know  how  many  miles  it  stretches 
along  the  road,  on  one  side  only.  It  is  all  and 
only  beech.  The  peculiarities  are  the  closeness 
of  the  trees  to  each  other,  their  straightness  and 
height,  and  the  deep  dark  sublime  as  you  look 
into  the  heart  of  the  wood.  I  must  have  seen  as 
complete  a  darkness  in  a  wood  in  America,  but 
there,  it  was  primeval ;  here  the  mark  of  man's 
hand  was  on  it  all.  At  some  places  a  road  is 
left,  and  the  eye  meets  nothing  till  distance  dims 
its  sight  along  the  tube.  They  are  cutting  it 
down'  by  degrees.  It  is  three  miles  farther  from 
the  battle  field  than  it  was  in  1815.  A  tree  is 
left  here  and  there,  and  these  are  unique  objects. 
Surely   the   wind   is    never    very    tempestuous    in 


324  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        ghap.  vi. 

this  country,  otherwise  they  would  be  blown  down. 
There  is  one  at  a  great  distance  from  all  others, 
on  the  summit  of  one  of  the  gentle  swells,  which 
succeed  each  other  like  waves  all  over  the  country, 
and  is  a  most  conspicuous  object  for  many  miles  of 
the  way." 

"  Cologne,  3d  Sept  1857. 
"  I  am  writing  in  a  spot  which,  for  intrinsic  beauty, 
and  historic  associations,  has  not  many  equals  on  the 
earth.  The  time  is  10.30  P.M.,  the  place,  on  the  top 
of  a  huge  palace,  I  suppose  six  or  seven  storeys  in 
height,  covered  above,  but  open  to  the  front,  with 
plants  like  a  greenhouse,  overlooking  the  Rhine, 
which  flows  only  a  street  breadth  from  the  walls; 
and  all  in  sweet  calm  moonlight.  It  is  an  exquisite 
ensemble.  I  am  more  affected  than  I  had  counted 
on  by  the  sight  of  the  Rhine.  It  makes  me  poetic, 
and  I  think  something  more.  That  river  ran  there 
the  same  when  Csesar  was  bridging  it  for  his  legions. 
How  many  generations  have  passed  away,  who  were 
once  busy  on  that  river's  bank.  This  is  new  to  me. 
I  have  never  before  been  at  any  place  with  which  so 
great  and  so  ancient  associations  are  woven." 

"  Steamer  on  Rhine,  5th  Sept.  1857. 
"  ....  As  we  were  about  to  start  from  the 
pier  at  Coblenz  to-day,  I  espied  Mr.  McGill  with  a 
chapeau  precisely  like  my  own.  I  ran  up  to  him, 
crying  out  " qrosclicn"  which  may  be  freely  trans- 
lated   "  baivbees," —  this    being    the    word    on    our 


chap.  vi.  FELLOW  TRAVELLERS.  325 

tongues,  the  thought  on  our  minds  at  the  present 
time.  I  have  mastered  them  now ;  but  when  you 
pass  into  another  territory  you  have  your  lesson 
to  begin  again.  Well,  he  has  a  U.P.  minister  from 
Liverpool  with  him,  whom  he  met  by  accident 
somewhere,  who  speaks  German — studied  at  Bonn. 
We  have  arranged  to  pass  the  Sabbath,  some  at 
Worms,  some  at  Frankfort,  and  meet  on  Monday  to 
travel  all  in  company  to  Berlin,  seeing  many  places 
of  great  Reformation  interest  on  the  way." 

"  Cologne,  Friday  Morning. 

"  .  .  .  .  We  picked  up  two  Evangelical  Alli- 
ance men  in  the  public  room  of  the  hotel  last  night 
at  tea — Davis,  the  Secretary  of  the  Religious  Tract 
Society,  and  an  English  clergyman.  I  was  im- 
mensely talkative,  for  which  I  ought  to  be  ashamed 
of  myself. 

"  When  we  came  out  of  the  train,  and  my  mouth 
felt  itself  fairly  opened,  it  was  precisely  like  what 
Baron  Munchausen's  must  have  been  after  the  frost. 
I  was  sealed  up  by  French  and  Flemish  for  two 
whole  days,  and  when  the  thaw  came,  it  came." 

Frankfort-on-Maine,  Monday  Morning. 

"  .  .  .  .  Yesterday  morning  at  nine  went  to 
a  Lutheran  Church.  Very  large,  clumsy  building — 
small  congregation.  An  altar  like  the  Popish 
Churches,  and  all  the  prayers  from  it — all  from 
liturgy.  Then  the  sermon  from  the  pulpit  on  the 
side  of  the  church.     No  person  has  a  Bible  in   the 


826  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap,  vl 

church  except  the  minister.  The  people  stand  up 
while  he  is  reading  the  text.  Every  one  has  a 
hymn  book.  I  got  one  and  found  the  place.  In 
the  last  of  three  I  got  my  finger  in  the  loop  and 
followed  it.  A  good  many  of  the  words  I  under- 
stood. The  music  was  grand.  They  beat  us  there. 
ff  that  congregation  had  been  as  large  as  ours,  I  do 
not  know  what  the  music  would  have  been.  The 
organ  here  evidently  does  not  prevent  the  people 
from  singing.  I  did  not  get  much  edification  from 
the  sermon,  you  may  well  suppose ;  and  yet  it  was 
good  to  be  there.  The  music  of  the  hymn  is  upon 
me  yet.  It  was  no  theatrical  display.  A  sober, 
earnest,  exact  German  sound.  It  was  like  some 
carving  on  wood  that  you  may  have  s  een  rough 
and  strong,  but  correct,  and  the  effect  complete, 
although  the  strokes  were  few." 

"  Makbdeg,  8th  Sept.  1857. 

"  ....  At  five  yesterday  went  to  the  train 
for  the  north.  Met  in  the  station  our  old  friends  of 
the  Rhine,  Messrs.  McGill  and  Graham.  Agreed  all, 
at  my  suggestion,  to  go  only  to  Marburg  for  the 
night — six  miles  from  Frankfort — arriving  at  7.30. 
We  had  a  delightful  journey,  and  the  evening  here 
was  by  far  the  most  cheerful  and  interesting  that 
we  have  had  on  the  Continent.  Lovely  moonlight. 
After  a  hearty  tea,  and  a  great  deal  of  fun  at  it,  we 
sallied  forth  under  the  moon  in  search  of  the  pic- 
turesque. 


chap.  vi.  GERMAN  STUDENTS.  327 

"  We  met  a  baud  of  students  on  the  hill,  and 
entered  into  conversation  at  great  length,  Mr 
Graham  being  spokesman.  One  of  the  group,  after 
long  German  talk,  came  alongside  and  said  some- 
thing to  me.  I  answered  in  Latin,  "  Non  intelligo 
hnguam  Germanicum."  He  replied  promptly,  "  Lingua 
Latinaxdamurr  (" I  don't  understand  German."  "Let 
us  use  the  Latin  tongue.")  Here  we  had  a  new 
point  of  contact,  and  Mr.  McGill  and  I  held  a  long 
and  animated  conversation  with  the  youth  about 
the  University,  its  curriculum,  and  its  antiquities. 
We  found  it  quite  easy.  The  young  man  hesitated 
sometimes  for  a  word,  but  not  being  shy,  he  always 
overcame  it.  He  has  promised  to  come  at  seven 
this  morning,  to  conduct  us  over  the  castle  and  col- 
lege. Our  plan  is  to  breakfast  first,  and  then  to  go 
by  train  to  Eisenbach  at  9.18.  So  I  must  go  and 
look  after  the  tea." 

"Berlin,  10th  September  1857. 

"At  our  journey's  end  at  last;  all  safe,  and  all  in 
comfort.  It  is  wonderful  the  ease  with  which  such 
a  journey  can  be  performed.  It  is  not  much  bodily 
fatigue ;  but  at  some  of  the  stages  there  is  a  great 
Babel,  and  one  needs  to  have  all  his  wits  about 
him.     .     .     . 

"I  have  got  a  private  lodging.  I  have  seen  only 
the  Frau.  She  and  I  had  a  German  talk,  which 
would  have  edified  you,  but  her  "man,"  sho  tells 
me,  can  speak  English,  so  I  am  well  off. 


328  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  vi. 

"  This  is  a  noble  capital — more  like  a  capital  than 
London — great  squares  of  palaces.  The  cabman 
pointed  me  out  the  palace  preparing  for  our  princess. 
It  is  being  renewed  from  top  to  bottom. 

"  We  have  had  an  address  from  Dr.  Krummacher, 
and  the  substance  in  English  from  Mr.  Cairns.  Then 
the  grand  German  hymn  singing.  I  shall  bring 
home  music,  words,  and  all,  and  you  must  learn  it. 

"  The  day  is  very  hot.  I  went  out  to  the  street 
behind  the  Church.  A  man  was  pumping  water  into 
dyeing  tubs.  I  looked  wistfully  at  the  water  and  the 
well.  Instantly  a  man  came,  saying  he  would  go  for 
a  glass  for  me,  and  went  towards  a  house ;  but 
before  he  entered,  a  pretty  young  woman,  who  had 
seen  me  from  a  window,  came  running  out  with  a 
tumbler,  and  smiling  like  the  spring  upon  me, — 
speaking  English  perfectly.  It  was  a  cup  of  cold 
water  in  the  name  of  a  disciple." 

"  Berlin,  \\tli  September  1857. 
"  .  .  .  .  The  meetings  of  the  Alliance  are 
very  large.  There  were  no  such  meetings  in  Glasgow 
or  in  London.  The  opposition  of  leading  ecclesias- 
tics has  directed  much  attention  to  it.  Krummacher 
thundered  nobly.  It  is  refreshing  to  hear  him 
crunching  through  the  bones  of  a  hard  word.  Espe- 
cially John  K-n-o-x,  giving  every  letter  all  its 
power,  no  matter  how  many  consonants  may  come 
together.  The  churches  here  are  much  larger  than 
ours.     They  are  temples,  more  like  the  old  cathe- 


chap.  vi.  EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  329 

drals.  There  is  a  place  in  the  end  for  the  prayers, 
and  the  pulpit  is  set  up  on  one  side,  in  front  of  the 
gallery.  The  church  in  which  our  meetings  are 
held  is  like  the  City  Hall  of  Glasgow,  only  the  side 
galleries  are  much  broader,  and  the  architecture 
much  more  imposing.  Chevalier  Bunsen  sits  in  a 
front  seat  of  the  gallery  and  listens  to  all.  The 
King  is  coming  to  the  forenoon  meeting  to-day,  and 
we  all  go  to  Potsdam  in  the  afternoon  to  visit  him  in 
the  New  Palace.  He  sends  a  special  train  for  us  at 
three  o'clock.     There  will  be  a  goodly  company. 

"  The  English  held  a  meeting  by  themselves  yes- 
terday afternoon,  on  the  question  of  religious  liberty 
on  the  Continent.  I  did  not  count  them,  but  it  was 
a  large  meeting  in  a  church.  The  most  imposing 
fact  in  connection  with  the  Conference  is  the  number 
of  the  English 

The  objects  on  the  way  passed  so  quickly  in  suc- 
cession that  they  drove  each  other  out,  and  left 
always  the  tenants  of  my  memory  at  any  one  time 
few  and  feeble.  Precisely  like  they  are  to  the  bill- 
sticking process.  In  Berlin  here,  large  circular 
wooden  pillars  are  set  up  here  and  there  in  the 
streets  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  placards.  I  saw 
one  man  plaster  nine  or  ten  on  a  pillar  all  at  one 
time,  and  they  were  all  connected  with  theatres  and 
concerts.  It  seems  to  be  the  rule  that  those  who 
come  first  in  the  morning  may  cover  all,  but  nobody 
may  cover  these  till  next  day.  Well,  Marburg 
blotted  out   Frankfort,    and  Wartburg  blotted    out 


330  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  vi. 

Marburg,  and  Erfurt  blotted  out  Wartburg :  nor  did 
the  successive  sights  manifest  the  politeness  of  the 
bill-stickers,  for  they  blotted  out  in  the  afternoon 
the  characters  that  had  been  imprinted  in  the 
morning.  Although  the  tablet  be  all  dim  at  present, 
it  may  be  that  when  it  is  dipped,  like  the  photograph 
plates,  into  a  fine  strong  preparation  of  love  and 
home  and  rest,  the  images  may  come  out  again. 

"  We  came  along  a  very  remarkable  valley  in  Bel- 
gium, when  we  were  approaching  the  borders  of 
Prussia.  It  was  narrow,  and  hilly,  and  woody,  and 
beautiful,  and  twisty.  The  river  had  no  objection  to 
the  serpentine  turns,  and  none  even  to  the  turns 
much  sharper  than  serpentine  that  frequently  oc- 
curred. The  river  seemed  to  like  the  valley  all  the 
better  for  its  tortuosity.  It  got  sailing  for  its  siller, 
and  an  opportunity  of  setting  off  its  own  beauty. 
But  its  modern  neighbour,  the  railroad,  is  rather  a 
straightforward  character ;  and  if  you  had  seen  the 
shifts  to  which  the  two  were  put  to  keep  each 
other's  temper.  For  a  while  railway  walked  or  ran 
most  lovingly  along  the  river's  bank,  bending  with- 
out the  slightest  objection  with  its  large  curves,  and 
keeping  most  affectionately  near.  But  suddenly  the 
lady  made  a  strong  demand  upon  the  gentleman's 
pliability  and  good  nature.  The  demand  was  too 
great  and  good  not  to  be  granted.  Off  went  he  out 
of  sight,  and  tore  through  a  tunnel  in  the  dark 
rather  than  court  the  eccentric  lady's  company. 
But  ere  you  could  say  Jack  Robinson,  back  they 


chap.  vi.  A  CALF  IN  A  CART.  331 

were  in  each  other's  arms  again.  This  game  of  Bo- 
peep  between  the  river  and  the  rail  continued  with- 
out interruption  for  several  hours.  It  was  like  a 
pantomime, — subject,  "  The  quarrels  of  lovers  do  not 
last  long."  It  kept  the  attention  of  the  audience  on 
the  stretch  till  the  curtain  fell,  and  we  were  again 
bounding  away  over  the  prosaic  plain. 

"  In  Halle,  yesterday,  I  saw  a  group  which,  in 
Glasgow,  would  have  gathered  a  mob ;  and  yet,  in 
Halle,  no  human  being  but  myself  deigned  to  look 
at  it — a  little  cart  only  sufficient  to  hold  a  calf;  a 
calf  standing  upright  in  the  cart,  and  looking  round 
philosophically  on  the  scene.  Two  wee  doggies 
yoked  in  the  cart,  and  drawing  it  merrily  along  the 
street.  A  lad  was  walking  near  in  charge  of  the 
cavalcade." 

To  Herr  Griex,  Berlin. 

"  Glasgow,  2d  October  1857. 

"  My  dear  Sir, — I  should  have  written  to  you 
sooner ;  but  much  work  was  waiting  for  me  when  I 
came  home 

"  I  had  a  very  pleasant  journey  on  the  night  that 
I  left  you.  One  friend,  a  minister  in  this  city,  started 
with  me,  and  never  left  me  till  we  reached  London. 
We  were  joined  by  two  other  friends,  belonging  to 
Edinburgh,  at  Hanover.  We  were  in  a  carriage  for 
those  who  do  not  smoke.  We  had  plenty  of  room, 
and  no  tobacco.     It  was  the  ploasantest  of  all  my 


332  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vi. 

journeys  in  Germany.  We  travelled  right  on  to 
Amsterdam,  reaching  it  about  two  o'clock  on  Tues- 
day. We  saw  that  fine  city  in  the  afternoon ;  the 
Hague  and  Leyden  next  day,  and  sailed  from 
Rotterdam  on  Thursday,  at  eleven  o'clock  forenoon. 
We  arrived  by  railway  in  London  at  five  on  Friday 
morning.  From  there  I  was  alone.  Started  by 
express  at  nine  on  Friday  morning,  and  arrived  in 
Glasgow  (more  than  400  miles — 100  of  German 
miles)  at  nine  o'clock  the  same  evening.  I  was 
fatigued,  but,  after  a  day's  rest,  was  able  to  preach 
at  home  twice  on  the  Sabbath. 

"  Partly  in  a  sermon,  and  partly  in  a  week-day 
meeting,  I  have  given  my  own  people  some  account 
of  the  Conference  at  Berlin.  I  still  hope  it  will  be  the 
means  of  good.  It  will  help  to  make  the  Germans 
and  British  know  each  other;  and  when  Christians 
try  to  meet  each  other  in  love,  God  will  bless  them. 

"  I  thank  you  and  your  wife  again  for  your  great 
kindness  to  me,  a  stranger.  I  know  you  did  not 
count  it  a  trouble,  but  it  was  a  good  deal  of  trouble 
to  you.  Perhaps  we  may  meet  again  yet  in  the 
world.  I  shall  now  read  with  greater  interest  what- 
ever I  see  about  the  Christians  in  Prussia.  I  shall 
not  forget  to  send  the  book  as  soon  as  I  can. 
Kindest  regards  to  your  wife  and  your  boy. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 


CHAPTER    VII. 

DIARY. 

12th  November. 

"C1BENEZER!  Yesterday  I  sent  off  to  the  pub- 
lisher the  last  portion  of  the  second  volume 
on  the  Proverbs.  In  the  leisure  scraps  of  six  months 
the  volume  has  been  written ;  and  although  during 
the  last  four  weeks  I  have  felt  somewhat  wearied 
with  the  winter  work  begun  and  the  book  not  out 
of  my  hands,  I  have  enjoyed  the  effort  intensely  all 
tlirough,  and  I  think  I  have  not  injured  myself. 

"  I  have  endeavoured  to  make  the  book  a  testimony 
for  God's  righteousness  in  the  world.  I  have  striven 
to  take  men  by  guile  in  its  style  and  illustrations, 
but  to  take  them  from  the  world  to  God  by  its  truth. 
Lord  forgive  my  sin  in  it,  and  accept  the  offering ; 
and  employ  it  as  a  vessel  to  spread  Thy  truth. 

"I  am  sensible  of  relief  when  the  work  is  over,  and 
hope  to  employ  the  buoyancy  to  good  purpose,  partly 
in  reading  and  partly  in  congregational  work. 

"  I  have  obtained  a  precious  benefit  already  from  the 
book,    in    ihe   formation    and   cultivation    of  indus- 

333 


334  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vn. 

trious  habits.  I  seem  to  have  acquired  a  greater 
power  than  I  previously  possessed,  and  the  power 
may  be  available  for  other  objects  also." 

"15th  November. — Sabbath  Evening. — Yesterday  I 
prepared  fully  a  discourse  for  the  times  on  Haggai  i. 
7,  '  Consider  your  ways  ; '  and  a  sermon  for  children 
for  the  afternoon  on  1  John  iv.  11,  '  Beloved,  if  God 
so  loved,'  etc.  I  intimated  in  the  forenoon  that  the 
afternoon's  discourse  would  be  framed  for  children. 
I  intend  to  try  this  now  and  then.  The  experiment 
to-day  was  hopeful.  The  privilege  of  preaching  to 
such  a  congregation  is  very  great.  I  delight  in  it. 
I  still  feel  that  I  might  do  far  more  execution  if  I 
should  exert  all  my  faculties  to  the  utmost,  and  lean 
on  the  Lord  for  power  like  a  little  child.  That  is  the 
old  rule,  pains  and  prayers." 

The  book  out  of  hands  there  is  plenty  of  other 
work  awaiting  him.  Several  applications  for  help 
had  reached  him  from  Ireland,  and  he  determined  to 
give  one  week  in  November  to  overtake  as  many  of 
these  as  possible.  This  was  the  first  occasion  on 
which  he  appeared  publicly  in  the  town  of  Belfast. 
He  gave  two  lectures  there  and  one  in  Londonderry 
within  the  week. 

A  congregation  had  by  this  time  been  organised  in 
the  mission  district,  and  steps  were  being  taken 
towards  the  building  of  a  church.  In  the  meantime, 
regular  services  were  conducted  by  the  missionary 
in  the  schoolroom,  Mr  Arnot  occasionally  preaching 


chap.  vii.  DIFFERENT  VIEW-POINTS.  335 

and  dispensing  ordinances.  When  the  church  was 
built,  a  minister  was  settled,  and  the  congregation 
placed  on  an  independent  footing,  though  it  con- 
tinued long  to  receive  aid  from  St.  Peter's. 

A  somewhat  unfavourable  review  of  the  Lectures 
on  Proverbs  having  appeared  in  an  Edinburgh  news- 
paper, Mr.  Arnot  writes  "an  epistle  of  condolence" 
to  the  publisher,  Mr.  Nelson.  One  thing  which  the 
critic  had  found  fault  with,  was  that  Mr.  Arnot 
treated  the  Proverbs  from  the  point  of  view,  not  of 
a  Hebrew,  but  of  a  Christian.  Coming  to  this  point 
in  his  letter,  he  says,  "Ah!  degenerate  Mr.  Arnot, 
why  wast  thou  not  a  Hebrew,  beard  and  all?  Think 
of  the  enormity:  to  look  on  a  book  of  Scripture  from 
the  view-point  of  a  Christian.  Please,  sir  critic,  is 
not  the  Christian  view-point  a  real  view-point  ?  And 
is  not  the  view  thence  a  view  to  the  point  in  these 
days?  And  if  Hebrew  views  be  good,  may  not 
Christian  views  be  tolerated  also?  I  mount  the 
Christian  hill,  and  sketch  the  outspread  landscape. 
Let  another  limner  stand  on  the  Hebrew  hill,  and 
transfer  to  his  canvas  another  aspect  of  the  many- 
sided  scene.  I  show  you  a  picture  of  Edinburgh 
from  Mons  Meg  on  the  castle :  you  say,  oh,  it 
appears  quite  a  different  thing  when  seen  from 
Arthur  Seat.  Does  it,  indeed?  And  does  that 
throw  any  discredit  on  my  picture  ?  " 

The  first  entry  in  the  diary  for  1858  is  on  the  14th 
February,  a  Sabbath  evening.  On  many  a  Sabbath 
evening  he  took  out  his  journal,  and  recorded  in  it 


336  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vn. 

his  own  estimate  and  impression  of  his  clay's  work 
with  notes  of  his  spiritual  life  and  experience.  A 
faithful  record  of  success  and  failure,  symptoms  favour- 
able and  unfavourable  ;  humble  and  self-condemning 
in  tone,  in  regard  to  what  seems  amiss,  thanking  God 
and  taking  courage  from  what  is  good  and  hopeful. 

"  As  I  have  often  found  on  balancing  before,  there 
is  much  encouragement  to  trust  in  the  Lord  and 
labour  for  the  people,  but  none  for  indolence.  I  am 
always  scourged  in  some  form  for  my  neglect." 

Among  various  temptations  and  hindrances  en- 
umerated, are  "  the  cares  of  buying  a  new  house 
and  letting  this  one."  The  "  new  house  "  in  Hamil- 
ton Park  Terrace  was  bought  before  it  was  finished, 
and  he  took  much  pleasure  in  watching  and  super- 
intending the  final  stages  of  the  work ;  so  much  so, 
that  he  felt  himself  in  danger  of  spending  too  much 
of  his  time  and  his  thoughts  upon  it. 

It  was  completed  in  June,  when  the  family  moved 
into  it.  Here  is  an  interesting  notice  of  the  "flitting" 
from  a  letter  to  a  friend  soon  after  : — 

" .  .  .  .  We  accomplished  our  flitting  beauti- 
fully on  the  day  after  I  left  you.  Four  of  the 
principal  carriers  of  Glasgow  sent  each  a  waggon 
and  a  man,  for  love  and  not  for  money — all  of  their 
own  accord,  and  all  because  I  went  to  a  great 
soiree  which  they  got  up  for  their  carters  last  year, 
and  made  a  speech  to  the  poor  fellows." 
DIARY. 
"21st  August  1858. — Many  great  events  since  last 


chap.  vn.  GERMANS  AS  THINKERS.  337 

entry.  I  have  been  much  employed  in  getting  my 
new  house  prepared,  and  getting  my  family  settled 
in   it.      'This   is    not    your    rest,' — I    shall    try   to 

remember   that   text The  children  are 

all  well.  They  are  in  many  things  hopeful.  They 
are  to  us  a  great  delight.  One  thing  I  never  forget, 
in  prayer  to  thank  God  for  them,  and  plead  that 
they  may  be  all  the  children  of  His  family." 

"lGth  September. — Last  night  before  going  to  bed 
I  finished  reading  the  life  of  Frederick  Perthes.  It 
is  a  remarkably  instructive  book.  I  think  it  has 
left  its  impression  deep  upon  me.  It  is  a  great 
character  and  a  great  life.  The  love  and  liberality 
of  it  are  wonderful.  The  glimpses  of  the  greater 
Germans  of  the  age  are  very  interesting.  It  has 
elevated  my  conception  of  the  Germans.  They 
really  are  abler  thinkers  than  we." 

"  4th  September. — I  have  much  difficulty  in  deal- 
ing with  applications  for  aid.  They  are  for  preaching, 
for  young  men's  lectures,  and  temperance.  It  is 
difficult  to  balance,  first,  how  much  work  I  ought 
to  undertake,  having  respect  to  my  health ;  and 
second,  how  much  I  ought  to  give  to  public  and 
distant  work,  having  regard  to  my  own  respon- 
sibilities to  my  own  congregation.  Although  it 
costs  me  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  I  ought  most 
tenderly  to  watch  against  the  spirit  of  complaint 
in  myself;  for  thankfulness  ought  to  fill  me,  that 
God  gives  me  power  and  opportunity  to  do  some- 
Y 


338  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vii. 

thing.      I  know  well  that   the   trial    would    be  far 
more  severe  if  nobody  should  ask  me  to  labour." 

"  28th  September. — Last  night  I  .read  with  care 
and  interest  a  chapter  of  Conybeare  and  Howson 
on  Paul,  and  a  lecture  (III.)  of  Hugh  Miller's  "  Tes- 
timony of  the  Rocks  ; "  and  this  morning,  chiefly  in 
the  open  air,  before  breakfast,  Lecture  IV.  of  the 
same  book.  There  is  nothing  external  now  to  pre- 
vent me  from  reading  systematically  and  pretty 
extensively.  The  one  grand  adversary  is  indolence 
within.  I  must  endeavour  to  take  advantage  of 
favourable  circumstances  to  begin  and  carry  on 
good  plans.  I  think  a  good  method  would  be  to 
devote  the  leisure  portions  of  the  early  days  of  the 
week  to  general  study ;  and  to  give  Friday,  from 
earliest  morning  till  dinner-time,  to  the  initiation, 
the  providing  for  and  starting,  both  discourses. 
Then  the  early  evening  of  Friday,  either  out  by 
invitation,  or  with  some  of  my  people  in  my  own 
house,  leaving  one  hour  before  going  to  bed  for 
returning  to  the  study  for  Sabbath ;  so  as  to  be  in 
a  favourable  position  for  giving  Saturday  with  some 
momentum  to  the  preparation  for  preaching  on  the 
morrow." 

The  Friday  evenings  during  the  winter  season 
were  very  frequently  spent  in  the  manner  indi- 
cated above,  especially  "  with  his  people  in  his  own 
house."  Many  who  enjoyed  these  social  meetings 
will   now   look   back   on   them   with   pleasure.     He 


chap.  vii.  HOSPITALITY.  339 

always  strove  to  give  to  the  conversation  a  profitable 
turn.  The  young  men  connected  with  his  congre- 
gation, especially  those  Avhose  homes  were  at  a 
distance,  he  liked  to  gather  round  him,  to  give 
them  a  taste  of  family  life,  and,  in  familiar  conver- 
sation, to  offer  them  kindly  sympathy  and  advice. 
When  a  young  man.  himself,  a  solitary  student  in 
lodgings,  he  longed  for  such  social  intercourse,  and 
felt  the  want  of  it ;  and  now  that  he  had  a  home 
and  a  family,  he  loved  to  extend  his  hospitality  to 
those  in  similar  circumstances.  In  a  letter  dated 
1834,  he  writes : — "  In  preference  to  all  other  kinds 
of  relaxation,  commend  me  to  a  'crack'  on  familiar 
terms  in  the  bosom  of  a  family  where  there  are 
children  of  any  age  from  twenty  to  six."  The 
following  letter  from  a  young  man  to  his  sister, 
describing  an  evening  spent  in  Mr.  Arnot's  house 
in  1858,  shows  that  his  efforts  in  this  direction  were 
appreciated.  No  doubt  there  are  many  who  could 
give  similar  testimony. 

" .  .  .  We  had  tea,  and  then  a  talk.  Mr.  Arnot 
was  very  humorous,  abounding  in  ancedote ;  he 
is  very  approachable  and  anxious  about  'young 
men  in  lodgings'  away  from  home.  He  is  afraid 
we  may  feel  relief  in  being  away  out  of  sight  of 
our  parents.  He  said  '  I  have  brought  the  children 
in.  I  want  you  to  feel  as  if  you  were  at  home. 
I  think  it  is  good  for  young  men  in  lodgings  to 
get  a  sight  of  a  family  now  and  again.'  Then 
came    his    illustrations    and    warnings,    advice,   and 


340  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  vh. 

counsel ;  every  little  incident  turned  to  good 
account.  One  young  man  brought  a  letter  from 
Ins  minister,  and  Mr.  Amot  read  it  and  said,  '  How 
anxious  your  late  minister  seems  to  be  about  you. 
I  recollect  when  we  went  to  and  from  school,  we 
had  to  go  alongside  of  the  river  Earn  a  good  part 
of  the  way.  There  was  a  ford  where  carts  passed 
through,  and  we  sometimes  waded  through  it.  It 
was  deep  in  some  places  and  shallow  in  others,  and 
in  some  j)laces  there  was  a  strong  current,  which 
made  it  very  dangerous.  However,  we  did  not  go 
in  one  by  one  :  we  took  each  other's  hands,  and 
did  not  go  into  the  deep  all  at  once,  and  in  that 
way  we  assisted  each  other  over.  If  we  had  let 
go  our  hold,  in  all  probability  we  would  have  been 
carried  down  the  stream.  Now,  young  men,  here 
you  are  in  a  mighty  stream.  Some  one  is  anxious 
about  you.  If  you  go  into  the  deep  all  at  once 
and  alone,  you  may  be  carried  down,  but  if  you 
have  some  one  by  the  hand,  you  may  manage 
to  get  through  it.  Remember,  the  current  is  strong, 
and  this  minister  is  anxious  that  this  young  man 
should  know  some  one,  an  elder  or  myself,  just 
as  it  were  to  get  him  by  the  hand.  No  man  has 
strength  of  himself  to  resist  temptations,  and  we  all 
need  to  be  watchful  and  prayerful.'  That  is  a  speci- 
men of  the  practical  dealing  we  had.  He  recom- 
mended us  all  to  have  some  study  in  hand;  one 
language,  or  another,  drawing  or  something  to  over- 
come;   some  difficulty    to   master.     There   is   great 


chap.  vii.  ADVICE  TO  YOUNG  MEN  341 

pleasure  in  overcoming  difficulties,  and  the  tempter 
Avill  not  assail  us  so  often.  .  .  .  After  more  than 
an  hour's  conversation,  we  had  books  and  pictures 
to  examine.  Then  we  had  family  worship,  and 
as  it  was  later  than  the  children  usually  sit,  he 
said,  '  Now,  my  dears,  we  are  going  to  have  worship, 
and  you  can  either  stay  or  go  away,  just  as  you 
please.'  They  all  remained,  and  the  servants  came 
in.  We  sang  that  psalm,  '  Hold  up  my  goings,  Lord 
me  guide,'  etc.,  Mrs.  Arnot  leading  the  tune,  and 
she  did  it  well.  Then  we  had  part  of  a  chapter 
and  united  in  prayer.  It  was  an  appropriate  prayer. 
He  prayed  that  though  of  different  families  on 
earth,  we  might  all  be  of  the  family  of  God.  We 
are  by  nature  outside,  but  there  is  a  door  opened, 
and  a  way  unto  the  Father  through  Christ.  He 
presented  each  of  us  with  a  copy  of  the  'Foe  and 
the  Fight,'  and  we  left  at  ten  minutes  to  ten  o'clock; 
and  I  must  say  it  was  a  pleasant  and  a  profitable 

meeting  to  me Really  it  is  taking  us 

by  the  hand  while  in  the  stream." 

As  usual  at  this  season  of  the  year,  solicitations, 
for  public  work  became  so  numerous,  that  he  had  to 
make  a  stand  and  refuse  all  for  a  time.  In  one 
letter  he  says : — "  I  am  working  out  all  my 
old  engagements  and  refusing  to  take  on  others. 
I  intend  to  begin  my  congregational  visiting 
immediately,  and  hold  on  for  the  winter."  In 
another : — "  I  am  like  a  poor  man  with  some  bene- 
volence in  his  heart,  and  many   calling   upon   him 


312  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vii. 

for  alms.  He  cannot  give  what  he  has  not ;  but 
he  grieves  because  he  has  not  to  give.  If  there 
were  fourteen  days  in  my  week,  and  a  hundred 
weeks  in  my  year,  I  would  find  work  to  fill  them ; 
and,  alas  !  it  is  a  sensible  item  of  my  work  at  present 
to  write  notes  sayiug  that  I  cannot  work." 

To  his  Sister. 

"Glasgow,  20tk  December  1858. 

"  My  dear  Janet, — Here  is  the  first  forenoon  of 
leisure  for  a  long  time,  and  I  take  the  opportunity 
of  sending  a  note.  I  have  had  a  very  great  crowd 
of  work  of  late,  but  have  been  wonderfully  well. 
I  am  glad,  however,  that  the  worst  of  it  is  past,  and 
now  I  can  overtake  all  without  a  sense  of  burden. 

"  I  shall  tell  you  the  history  of  yesterday.  I  sat 
at  this  desk  with  the  gas  light  in  the  morning, 
and  through  the  day  1  ill  it  was  lighted  again.  Till 
half-past  two  I  was  occupied  writing  a  paper  to 
start  a  new  Christian  Treasury,  which  came  in  a 
great  hurry,  and  must  be  ready  on  the  New  Year. 
Andrew  Cameron,  the  editor  of  the  old  Treasury, 
has  separated  from  Johnston,  his  publisher,  and  be- 
gins a  new  one  with  the  Nelsons.  I  finished  and 
sent  it  off  to  Edinburgh  in  time  to  be  delivered 
there  yesterday  evening.  I  suppose  it  is  printed 
now.  Then  preparation  for  three  meetings.  Started 
at  five  o'clock  —  walked  to  church  —  taught  a 
class  in  the  church  from  six  to  seven.     Then  the 


chap.  vii.  TWENTY  YEARS'  MINISTRY.  343 

weekly  meeting  in  the  church  from  7.30  to  8.30. 
Then  taught  the  assembled  Sabbath  school  teachers 
their  lesson  for  next  Sabbath.  Conversed  in  the 
intervals  with  six  persons,  one  by  one,  who  called 
on  various  business,  and  home  in  the  omnibus  at 
10.30.     Capital  sleep,  and  strong  to-day. 

"  On  Sabbath  last  I  completed  twenty  years  of  my 
ministry  in  St.  Peter's.  The  text  in  the  afternoon 
was  Acts  xxviii.  15,  '  Whom,  when  Paul  saw,  he 
thanked  God  and  took  courage.'  I  am  sure  it 
was  a  suitable  text  for  me.  I  do  not  know  any- 
body in  all  the  world  who  has  greater  'cause  for 
thankfulness  than  I  have." 


To  the  Rev.  Andrew  Cameron. 

"  23d  December  1858. 
u  .  .  .  .  Into  two  days,  last  week,  I  crowded 
the  following  items,  to  wit,  Diet  of  Worship  at 
Thanksgiving  for  Harvest,  with  relative  prepara- 
tion— a  Committee  on  Congregational  Schools — a 
Congregational  Class — a  Session  Meeting — visita- 
tion, by  appointment,  of  thirteen  families  of  con- 
gregation— and  an  article  for  a  literary  Quarterly 
All  were  begun  and  ended  within  forty-eight  hours, 
and  full  nights'  sleep  beside." 

The  Glasgow  branch  of  the  Free  Church  Tem- 
perance Society,  from  which,  on  account  of  the 
manner   in    which  it   was    conducted,    he    had    felt 


344  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  vii. 

himself  compelled  at  an  early  stage  to  withdraw, 
had  some  time  before  this  ceased  to  exist,  and  an 
attempt  was  now  being  made,  chiefly  at  his  in- 
stigation, to  revive  it  on  a  new  basis.  A  public 
meeting  was  to  be  held  in  the  City  Hall  to  start 
the  movement,  and  Professor  Miller  and  Dr.  Guthrie 
were  invited  and  urged  to  come  and  assist  on  the 
occasion. 


To  the  Rev.  Dr.  Guthrie. 

"  Glasgow,  2ith  December  1858. 

"  My  dear  Dr.  Guthrie, — It  is  with  more  regret 
than  I  can  confess  that  I  find  myself  writing  a  third 
letter  to  you  on  the  same  subject — it  looks  so  like  an 
attempt  to  hunt  down.  Yet  on  my  part  it  is  really 
the  opposite.  Last  night  we  held  a  larger  prelimi- 
nary meeting,  called  by  circular  (copy  enclosed).  We 
found  a  unanimous  desire  to  have  a  meeting,  under 
cover  of  which  we  might  proceed  with  more  private, 
but  widely  extended  efforts.  There  was  also  a  tone 
of  considerable  hopefulness.  Here  is  our  peculiarity. 
We  might  have  a  large  meeting,  and  a  good  exposi- 
tion with  our  own  men,  and  some  help  from  other 
quarters ;  but  if  by  your  presence  added  we  can 
bring  our  meeting  up — which  we  certainly  could — 
to  the  point  at  which,  instead  of  canvassing  for 
listeners,  we  should  be  in  a  position  to  grant  the 
favour  of  admission  —in  that  case  we  can  command 
the  attendance  of  a  very  large  proportion  of  the 


chap.  vir.  TEMPERANCE  MEETING.  345 

actual  elders,  deacons,  and  Sabbath  school  teachers 
of  the  Free  Church.  We  have  made  arrangements 
for  putting  an  invitation  in  their  hands,  and  if  we  can 
have  the  tide  up  to  the  proper  point,  they  will  come 
in  a  body,  and  as  Joseph  Ady  would  say, '  they  would 
hear  of  something  to  their  advantage.'  We  shall 
have  Mr.  Playfair,  a  magistrate  of  the  very  highest 
social  and  Christian  position,  in  the  chair — a  thing 
which  we  never  could  have  reached  before.  We 
have  at  least  nine  ministers  in  the  Presbytery ; 
and  almost  one  half  of  the  students — twenty-two. 

"  When  I  intimated  that  I  was  not  willing  to  write 
again,  lest  I  should  either  compel  you  to  come,  when 
you  could  not  afford  it,  or  put  you  to  the  pain  of 
refusing  urgent  requests,  I  found  them  bent  on 
making  up  a  deputation  to  go  to  Edinburgh.  It 
was  then  that  I  volunteered  to  advertise  you  by 
letter  of  the  state  of  the  case,  and  so  perhaps  save 
you  the  more  formidable  operation. 

"  Wednesday  the  2d  February  would  suit  us,  but 
so  bent  are  they  upon  doing  it  well,  that  if  you 
could  not  then  come,  and  could  yet  give  another 
evening,  they  would  endeavour  to  make  arrange- 
ments, accordingly.  It  would  not  be  of  the  most 
laborious  kind  of  effort.  We  shall  have  good  sup- 
port. Besides  our  own  local  talent,  we  have  the 
promise  of  Dr.  Wood  of  Dumfries,  and  perhaps  we 
may  also  get  Mr.  Burns  from  Dundee.  And  you 
would  not  be  kept  till  a  late  hour  and  a  warm 
house. 


346  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vii. 

"  I  think  I  have  given  the  whole  case.  I  think 
you  acquit  me  of  obstinacy.  This  letter,  at  least, 
was  an  attempt  to  save  you  from  importunities. — 
Yours,  William  Arnot." 

DIARY. 

"  1st  January  1859. — On  last  Sabbath  I  com- 
pleted twenty  years  of  my  ministry.  I  was 
in  much  greater  health  and  hope  than  I  was 
at  the  close  of  the  ten.  On  that  occasion,  at 
the  close  of  1848,  I  spoke  very  despondingly  to 
the  people,  and  thought  that  at  the  age  of  forty 
all  the  spring  had  left  my  system.  On  this  occasion, 
so  great  has  been  the  goodness  of  God  to  me,  that  I 
felt  bound  to  select  as  the  text,  '  Whom,  when  Paul 
saw,  he  thanked  God  and  took  courage.'  The  exer- 
cise was  comfortable,  and  perhaps  useful.  The  con- 
gregation very  large." 

"  28th  January. — Here  I  shall  set  down  some 
notes  of  my  occupation  on  Wednesday  week  in 
the  vestry.  I  find  that,  incidentally  and  unex- 
pectedly, a  great  benefit  to  the  ministry  has 
sprung  from  my  residence  at  a  distance  from 
the  church.  It  has  led  to  appointments  and  an- 
nouncements of  certain  days  and  hours  when  I  sit 
in  the  vestry,  for  the  express  purpose  of  meetiug 
any  who  desire  to  speak  with  me.  Previously,  inci- 
dental cases  of  encouragement  had  occurred  ;  but  on 


chap.  vir.  ENCOURAGEMENT.  347 

that  evening  there  was  such  a  series  that  I  was 
much  interested,  and  beyond  expression  cheered. 
Five  persons  called  in  succession,  and  I  shall  jot 
their  errands  in  the  order  of  time. 

"  1st.  W. — Young  man  ;  handsome ;  well  con- 
nected ;  has  been  in  business ;  successful,  but  in 
crash  of  last  year  has  lost  all  he  made,  and  is  retir- 
ing,— not  bankrupt,  but  penniless ;  prospects  easy 
enough  for  the  future,  but  cares  not;  is  spiritually 
quickened ;  one  thing  needful ;  all  else  set  aside. 

"  2d.  Mrs.  M'C— Old  Christian  friend  ;  fruit  shop  ; 
called  to  request  me  to  visit  a  woman  ill.  Active 
managing  woman ;  frequented  her  shop  in  the  way 
of  trade ;  observed  that  she  disappeared,  and  a 
little  girl  came  in  her  stead;  asked  the  girl,  and 
learned  that  the  mother  was  ill;  went  to  see  her; 
found  that  she  had  fallen  away  from  ordinances ; 
found  her  anxious  ;  wanted  me  to  see  her.  Here  is 
a  genuine  case  of  '  Let  him  that  heareth  say  come.' 

"3d.  J.  G. — Fine  youth;  was  accepted  as  a  young 
communicant  in  October,  but  taken  ill  and  left  town 
before  the  time ;  now  returned  to  town,  and  come  to 
claim  admission. 

"  4th.  D.  B. — Young  man  for  certificate  to  go  with 
his  father  and  sister  to  Andrew  Bonar's ;  says  more 
need  of  him  in  the  new  congregation ;  very  affec- 
tionate and  sensible.  Same  young  man  who  was 
aroused  when  a  boy  by  hearing  me  preach  in  Card- 
ross  long  ago. 

"  5th.  D.  F.,  a  mechanic,  called  to  tell  me  that  he 


348  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vir. 

was  arrested  by  a  passage  in  the  '  Voyage  of  Life,' 
which  a  year  ago,  in  visiting  his  family,  I  had  given 
to  his  little  girl.  It.  was  the  warning  against  drink  ; 
he  had  been  gliding  into  it.  His  tale  was  most  en- 
couraging to  me.  How  softened  he  was !  His  wife, 
a  month  before,  told  me  how  changed  he  was,  and 
that  the  child's  book  had  been  the  means  of  arrest- 
ing him.  The  man  intelligently  and  distinctly  told 
me  that,  though  he  was  not  a  drunkard,  and  was  not 
so  accounted,  yet  from  drinking  at  times  somewhat 
freely  his  mind  was  unfitted  to  take  in  or  feel  reli- 
gious truth.  He  knew  that  now,  by  observing  the 
greater  tenderness  and  susceptibility  of  his  mind 
since  he  had  altogether  abandoned  the  use  of  strong 
drink. 

"Clearly  I  ought  to  cultivate  this  field.  I  must 
gently  open  facilities  for  my  congregation  to  speak 
to  me  of  their  spiritual  need  or  progress." 

To  Rev.  Mr.  Drummond,  Forgandenny. 

"\Mh  January  1859. 

"My  dear  Mr.  Drummond, — I  write  and  post  this 
note  so  that  it  will  reach  you  on  Hansel  Monday 
morning.  A  book  will  be  delivered  at  the  same 
time,  the  finishing  of  my  jottings  on  the  Proverbs, 
which  I  neglected  to  send  last  year  when  it  was  pub- 
lished. It  contains  some  local  reminiscences,  which, 
however,  date  higher  up  than  your  time.  There  is 
one,  ch.  xv.  pp.  127,  128,    which  refers   to   Robert 


chap.  vit.    MEETING  AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE.    349 

Christie  and  James  Cairns  at  the  building  of  my 
father's  house.  It  was  when  I  was  about  six  years 
old.  I  would  like  to  know  if  James  remembers  it. 
I  was  lecturing  to  a  Young  Men's  Association  at 
Alexandria,  Vale  of  Leven,  on  Thursday,  and  took 
the  opportunity  of  making  a  pilgrimage  to  see  James 
Paton,  who  was  my  fellow-apprentice  at  Freeland. 
I  saw  him  at  his  work  with  great  interest,  and  felt 
a  slight  touch  of  envy.  He  has  a  calmer  life  than  I. 
However,  I  would  not  exchange — not  for  all  the 
world.  The  feeling  was  a  momentary  touch  of 
weariness.  I  had  once  some  thoughts  of  going  north 
about  this  time,  but  I  have  fallen  through  it.  I  was 
in  the  parish  in  the  autumn.  I  had  so  many  hours  be- 
tween a  train  at  Perth  and  another  at  the  Bridge  of 
Earn.  Beat  up  John  Milne's  quarters;  he  went  ovei 
the  hill  with  me  to  Mailer.  Then  I  dallied  about 
the  water  side,  and  in  the  garden  at  the  Boat,  get- 
ting apples  from  the  trees  that  my  brother  and  my- 
self had  planted.  I  would  fain  have  gone  round  by 
the  village  to  see  you,  but  the  time  did  not  permit. 
I  was  obliged  to  make  direct  for  Bridge  of  Earn  by 
Gallowmoor." 

He  had  long  had  a  strong  desire  to  visit  Pales- 
tine, and  now,  for  the  first  time,  saw  a  possibility  of 
realising  it. 

To  Mr.  Nelson. 
"  .     .     .     .     Palestine !      I  am   brooding   on    the 


350  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.        chap.  vn. 

scheme.  I  have  spoken  to  Professor  George 
Douglas  here.  He  thinks  it  possible,  and  will  cast 
it  over.  I  suppose  we  must  have  two  or  three  to 
go  together.  My  present  idea  of  time  is  28th 
March,  leaving  full  three  months  to  the  end  of  June. 
I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  your  view  on  that  point 
more  definitely ;  for  if  I  do  it  I  would  like  to  do  it 
well,  and  I  think  I  need  not  be  very  straitlaced 
with  my  congregation." 

To  Mr.  Smeaton. 

"Glasgow,  29th  January  1859. 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Smeaton, — Here  is  a  great  point. 
I  am  brooding  over  an  Oriental  exploration  this 
spring ;  have  long  brooded,  but  no  power  of  hatch- 
ing aught  till  now.  Two  elements  favourable  this 
year  seem  to  turn  the  balance.  Primo,  have  funds, 
which  I  never  had  before ;  secundo,  the  deacons  pro- 
pose to  paint  the  church,  which  will  account  for  five 
or  six  of  the  thirteen  weeks  which  I  suppose  to  be 
needful.  After  twenty  years  of  a  ministry  in  one 
place,  I  am  clear  on  all  grounds  that  such  a  relaxa- 
tion is  justifiable  and  needful.  Nothing  determined, 
however,  as  yet.  But  this  present  note  is  a  retainer 
for  you  on  Sabbath  the  10th  of  April,  to  preside  at 
the  Communion  for  me,  for  I  perceive  that  I  must 

start  a  fortnight  before  it,  if  I  go  at  all 

One  thing  will  relieve  you  from  this  duty,  and  that 
is,  go  eastward  with  me." 


chap.  vir.  CHILDREN'S  CHURCHES.  351 

The  plan  fell  through,  however,  as  did  a  similar 
one  the  following  summer,  and  yet  another  some 
years  later.  The  desire  so  often  thwarted  grew 
gradually  weaker;  and  when  the  opportunity  for 
distant  travel  came,  it  was  towards  the  west  and  not 
the  east  that  his  steps  were  turned. 

The  following  reply  to  a  circular  issued  by  the 
Edinburgh  Sabbath  School  Union,  may  be  interest- 
ing, as  it  deals  with  a  subject,  that  of  children's 
churches,  on  which  much  difference  of  opinion  exists 
among  Christian  people. 


"8th  March  1859. 

"  In  reference  to  your  circular  of  24th  February, 
I  answer — in  general,  that  I  have  not  much  experi- 
ence in  the  departments  to  which  it  refers,  and  I 
form  the  best  judgment  I  can  from  a  general  know- 
ledge of  the  case,  without  specific  experience  to 
guide  me. 

"  Under  this  qualification,  and  in  particular,  I 
answer — 

"  1.  Separate  services  are  desirable  for  such  child- 
ren and  youths,  not  as  being  in  themselves  or 
ultimately  the  best,  but  as  the  best  immediately 
available,  and  as  a  medium  between  the  present 
entire  want  of  the  Sabbath  worship,  and  amalga- 
mation with  Christian  congregations  —  not  only  a 
medium  between  the  two  extremes,  but  also  a  path 
over. 


352  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  vn. 

"  2.  Such  services  are  practicable  on  the  short  but 
stern  condition,  '  Where  there  is  a  will  there  is  a 
way.' 

"  3.  (1)  How.  Let  Christian  men  of  gifts  and 
graces  be  told  off  from  our  congregations  to  do  it 
by  relays ;  others  younger,  beating  the  bush  and 
bringing  in  the  game.  Four  such  men,  for  example, 
could  maintain  one  such  meeting,  and  yet  be 
hearers  during  three-fourths  of  their  Sabbaths  or 
parts  of  Sabbaths.  'It  is  more  blessed  to  give 
than  to  receive.'  When  men  are  educated  up  to  a 
certain  point,  unless  they  begin  to  give  off  in 
kind,  they  will  not  even  take  in  any  more.  Many 
such  men  may  be  found  among  us,  who  could  do 
this  kind  of  work  better  than  ministers  ;  while  the 
ministers  still  could  do  their  present  work  best ;  or, 
if  not,  they  ought  to  be  best.  A  little  gentle  limited 
application  of  the  Free  Trade  element  might  be  a 
useful  stimulant.  On  the  other  hand,  those  who  try 
to  preach  will  find  out  the  difficulties,  and  perhaps 
judge  ministers,  who  really  do  their  best,  more 
leniently  "instead  of  more  harshly. 

"  (2.)  Where.  In  the  first  instance,  it  must  be 
done,  as  our  other  mission  work,  in  whatever  halls  or 
large  schools  may  be  available,  during  the  day 
of  the  Sabbath  ;  afterwards  act  according  to  circum- 
stances.— Yours,  William  Arnot." 

DIARY. 
"  10th   March   1859. — In  the  interval  some  great 


chap.  vir.  ILLNESS.  353 

things.  My  wife  has  passed  through  a  dangerous 
illness 

"  I  felt  that  I  was  on  the  brink  of  deep  waters. 
I  did  not  know  whether  the  Lord  would  lead  me 
farther  down,  or  lift  me  up  again.  It  melted  me. 
I  felt  my  heart  within  me  like  water,  at  the  thought 
of  the  bereavement.  It  was,  I  hope,  profitable  to 
me.  One  of  my  weakest  sides  is  to  satisfy  myself 
with  prosperity.  Graciously  God  has  been  shaking 
my  strong  mountain 

"I  have  suffered  from  inflammation  of  the  eyes  for 
a  period  of  six  weeks.  By  giving  up  all  evening 
work,  and  taking  active  measures,  I  have  got  the 
inflammation  now  removed.  They  are  well  again. 
My  work  has  been  a  good  deal  retarded. 

"Have  read  two  volumes  of  Carlyle's  Frederick 
the  Great.  An  iron  and  miry  clay  sort  of  work. 
Have  written  sermon  in  No.  II.  of  Family  Treasury, 
and  lecture  in  reply  to  Mr.  Stirling's  pamphlet  on 
Forbes  Mackenzie's  Act. 

"Note. — 29th  December  1859. — Ailment  in  the 
eyes  returned,  and  lasted  in  all  thirteen  weeks. 
Last  fortnight  entirely  disabled,  but  by  confine- 
ment I  was  soon  relieved." 

"23d  August  1859. — We  were  in  Lochranza, 
Arran,  with  the  whole  family,  all  the  month  of 
June,  and  in  Yarrow,  with  the  three  elder  children, 
during  the  greater  part  of  July.  The  church  was 
shut  up  for  painting,  and  I  had  a  more  complete 
rest  than  usual.  I  preached  more  or  less  every 
Z 


354  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  vii. 

Sabbath  in  Arran,  Campbeltown,  Ochiltree,  Yarrow, 
Selkirk,  Galashiels,  Glasgow,  Dunoon.     .     .     . 

"  A  great  spiritual  awakening  has  spread  over 
Ulster,  and  has  within  the  last  month  appeared  in 
several  places  in  Glasgow  and  the  west  of  Scotland. 
As  has  always  happened  in  similar  circumstances, 
two  sets  of  experience  have  occurred.  On  the  one 
hand,  many  have  turned  to  the  Lord,  and  many  have 
been  deeply  solemnized.  On  the  other  hand,  a  pry- 
ing curiosity  has  manifested  itself,  and  shallow  for- 
ward persons  take  advantage  of  the  crisis  to  trade 
on  revivals,  at  the  risk  of  spoiling  the  delicate  pro- 
cess by  handling  and  public  exposure." 

To  Dr.  Hamilton. 

"27th  August  1859. 

"  My  dear  Brother, — It  is  long  since  I  have 
exchanged  word  or  writing  with  you.  I  have 
become  drowsy  at  my  study,  and  shall  in  the 
midst  of  it  jot  a  few  words  to  you  by  way  of 
awakener,  not  to  you,  but  to  myself. 

"  I  had  full  two  months'  vacation — church  shut  up 
for  painting.  They  have  made  me  so  grand  that 
I  feel  like  a  bride  in  her  new  dress,  and  am  afraid 
lest  everybody  be  looking.  I  spent  one  half  of  my 
time  at  Arran,  and  one  half  at  Yarrow,  among  the 
sheep.  My  literary  labour  was  chiefly  revising  a 
dozen  or  so  of  my  sermons,  which  are  all  more  or 
less  defective  in  first  construction.     I  never  had  set 


EXETER  HALL.  355 


myself  to  do  this  before,  and  it  is  a  certain  pleasure 
to  me  to  feel  that  I  have  a  few  which  I  have  done  as 

well  as  I  can I  have  had  a  sort  of  tussle 

with  the  Secretary  of  the  London  Young  Men  about 
an  Exeter  Hall  lecture.  A  sight  of  London  again 
would  not  be  unpleasant,  but  I  have  declined.  I 
found  myself  engaged  for  two  English  journeys, 
Bradford  and  Liverpool,  and  could  not  think  of  a 
third,  not  to  speak  of  having  no  lecture  such  as 
they  would  like,  and  no  ability  to  make  one,  and 
no  willingness  to  print  one.  I  still  please  myself 
with  the  intention  of  going  to  Palestine.  I  was 
nearly  off  this  spring.  Stevenson  of  Ayr  will  go. 
We  still  talk  of  next  spring.     Will  you  go?" 

The  request  for  a  lecture  in  Exeter  Hall  was  re- 
newed, and  he  ultimately  agreed  to  it,  going  to 
London  in  December  for  the  purpose.  He  stipulated, 
however,  that  it  should  not  be  published  imme- 
diately, as  he  wished  to  get  the  use  of  it  for  several 
other  places.  Lectures  such  as  these  took  time  and 
strength  to  write,  and  he  must  have  refused  many 
more  applications  than  he  did  had  a  new  one  been 
necessary  for  every  occasion.  He  felt  that,  once 
printed,  they  were  lost  to  him. 

DIARY. 

"  25th  September. — I  visited  Ireland  to  attend  the 
Evangelical  Alliance  last  week  in  Belfast,  but  also 
with  some  hope  of  seeing  for  myself  sornethmg  of 


356  MEMOIR  OP  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  vit. 

the  revival.  I  attended  and  took  part  in  the  meet- 
ings of  the  Alliance  on  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  and 
Thursday.  On  Friday  I  went  to  Comber,  a  small 
town  about  six  miles  distant.  There  I  visited  five 
families  where  there  were  converts,  and  conversed 
freely  with  them.  It  was  very  instructive  to  me. 
I  am  cheered  with  the  conviction  that  the  work  is 
of  God,  and  very  great.  An  increased  expectation 
is  apparent  in  Glasgow.  A  great  awakening  in 
the  Wynd  Church.  One  thing  I  have  obtained — 
the  help  of  elders  and  others  in  the  congregational 
prayer  meeting." 

The  volume  of  sermons  entitled  'Roots  and 
Fruits  of  the  Christian  Life,'  was  published  towards 
the  close  of  this  year.  He  hesitated  much  about 
bringing  out  another  book  of  considerable  size  so 
soon  after  the  two  volumes  on  Proverbs,  thinking 
that  it  would  be  intruding  himself  too  much  on 
public  notice.  On  this  ground  he  proposed  at  one 
time  to  publish  this  book  anonymously.  This  feel- 
ing appears  again  in  a  letter  to  a  London  publisher, 
who  suggested  to  him  in  the  following  spring  to 
write  a  book  on  the  cloud  of  witnesses  in  Hebrews 
xi.  In  his  reply  to  this  proposal,  he  says,  "  I  lie 
under  a  queer  sense  of  shame,  not  for  anything 
I  have  written,  but  for  the  fact  that  I  have  offered 
four  volumes  in  about  three  years  to  the  public. 
1  feel  inclined  to  touch  my  hat  to  the  world  in 
general,  and  say  I  will  not  do  it  again.      At   the 


chap.  vn.  «  ROOTS  AND  FRUITS."  357 

same  time,'  I  am  bound  to  say  that  I  get  a  good 
deal  of  encouragement,  some  evidence  that  my 
labour  is  not  in  vain." 

To  Mr.  T.  Nelson. 

"  In  my  last  I  conceived  fifteen  times,  and  brought 
forth  nothing  to  the  point  in  the  way  of  title  for  our 
embryo  book.  I  think  I  have  it  now — got  it  in  the 
Gardens  to-day  while  I  was  enjoying  my  Saturday 
constitutional — 

'Roots  and  Fruits  of  the  Christian  Life.' 

I  would  place  first  in  the  series  a  sermon  on  '  Faith, 
Hope,  and  Love,'  which  is  so  treated,  that  'Roots 
and  Fruits,'  &c,  would  be  its  strictly  appropriate 
title  ;  while  the  terms  would  honestly  and  exactly 
express  the  general  character  of  the  whole.  Indeed, 
I  think  a  better  title  could  not  be  found — I  mean 
one  that  more  definitely  and  truly  described  the 
article.  One  obvious,  and,  I  confess,  strong  objec- 
tion, is, — it  jingles  too  much.  And  people  might  say 
it  was  chosen  for  its  sound,  which  saying,  however, 
would  not  be  true,  for  it  would  be  chosen  for  its 
sense. 

"  Others  occurred  ;  thus — 

'  The  Anchor  of  the  Soul,'  &c. 

In  that  case,  of  course,  a  sermon  on  that  text  would 
.stand  foremost." 


858  MEMOIR  OF  REV.  W.  ARNOT.         chap.  vn. 

The  sermon  alluded  to  was  not  included  in  this 
series,  and  both  it  and  the  title  were  afterwards  used 
for  the  smaller  volume  published  after  his  death. 

He  was  anxious  that  his  own  congregation, 
especially  such  of  them  as  belonged  to  the  working 
classes,  should  have  an  opportunity  of  purchasing 
his  books  considerably  under  their  selling  price. 
Though  he  failed  to  carry  out  his  plan  in  its 
entirety,  he  arranged  that  all  three  volumes  should 
be  offered  to  the  working  people  belonging  to  the 
congregation  for  a  period  of  two  months  at  the  price 
of  4s. — the  selling  price  of  the  "Proverbs"  being 
6s.  6d.  each  volume;  that  of  "Roots  and  Fruits" 
7s.  6d. 

The  following  letter  shows  that  these  circum- 
stances had  suggested  to  him  the  idea  of  publishing 
a  book  specially  for  his  own  people,  which,  however, 
was  never  carried  out. 

The  Edinburgh  affair  alluded  to  was  a  proposal  to 
organise  a  regular  congregation  in  the  Free  Church 
Assembly  Hall,  with  Dr.  Charles  Brown  and  himself 
as  colleague  ministers.  There  was  a  good  deal  of 
correspondence  and  consultation  about  it  privately 
for  the  next  few  months,  and  then  the  matter 
dropped. 

To  Mr.  Nelson. 

"  Glasgow,  8th  November  1859. 
"  My  DEAR  Sir, — This  idea  of  yours  has  some  life 
in  it.     It  would  not  itself  constitute  a  river ;  but 


chap.  vii.  PROPOSED  NEW  BOOK.  859 

what  single  spring  would  %  However,  affluents  and 
confluents  are  coming  in  on  every  side.  Before  your 
suggestion  reached  me,  a  thought  in  that  direction 
was  moving  in  my  brain,  begotten  of  the  book- 
sellers, to  the  effect  that  my  next  book,  if  ever  I 
should  make  another,  should  be  written  and  printed 
in  silence,  not  at  the  publishing  season,  but  at  an- 
other time — say  August ;  that  we  should  deliberately, 
and  deliciously  free  from  restraint,  place  a  great 
stock  in  the  session-house  for  all  Saint  Petreans 
without  distinction,  at  prime  cost ;  that  thereafter 
we  might  advertise  it  for  publication  if  we  judged 
it  worthy.  Such  is  the  origin  of  our  river :  the  first 
affluent  is  your  contribution,  which  diverts  consider- 
ably the  course  of  the  stream.  The  next  is  (but  we 
must  number  them  for  convenience  of  reference) 
(3),  the  former  idea  of  sermons  for  young  people, 
excluded  from  the  large  volume,  with  a  possible 
prospect  of  occupying  a  small  one.  This  germ,  how- 
ever, is  altered  and  enlarged  into  a  hooky,  denomi- 
nated '  The  Church  at  Home;  or  the  Church  in  the 
House,'  containing  two  or  three  discourses  to  chil- 
dren, one  to  servants,  one  on  relations  of  brothers 
&c,  and  amounting  to  size  of  '  Race  for  Riches.' 
(4.)  A  letter  from  James  Stevenson  this  morning 
says  time  is  rolling  on,  and  asks  Palestine  this 
coming  spring,  yea  or  nay,  for  we  had  some  definite 
talk  about  it  in  July,  and  then  postponed.  This 
suggests  a  time  and  occasion :  as  it  could  not  pos- 
sibly be  done  for  New  Year,  the  very  nick  of  time 


3G0  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap.  vii. 

would  be  on  the  eve  of  departure,  if  I  go,  with 
preface  intimating  that,  like  other  soldiers  having 
served  twenty-one  years.  I  want  a  clerical  furlough. 
I  suppose  at  the  most  it  could  be  made  neat  (you 
acting  as  manufacturer,  and  enjoying  the  lawful 
profits  of  that  department,  but  not  those  of  pub- 
lisher), five  hundred  for  a  shilling  each.  This  would 
be  only  £25,  which,  of  course,  I  could  and  would 
gladly  expend.  Perhaps  the  small  edition  might, 
however,  increase  the  cost.  But,  on  any  event,  on 
that  side  the  matter  is  plain  and  easy.  If  all  other 
things  should  suit,  I  certainly  would  not  stick  at  the 
price  of  the  fact. 

"  You  must  not  say  anything  of  this.  It  is  only  a 
dream.  I  am  writing  for  the  purpose  of  letting  out 
the  thought  which  was  knotting  at  my  throat,  and 
preventing  me  from  some  work  which  presses.  I 
am  writing  on  the  supposition  that  the  Edinburgh 
affair  will  not  stir.  If  it  should  stir,  and  need  to  be 
considered  more,  I  am  not  sure  what  effect  it  might 
have  on  the  Eastern  project — perhaps  in  favour, 
perhaps  against  it.  Its  details  and  actualities  have 
not  yet  come  close  to  my  mind.  The  vis  inertiae  ot 
human  nature  keeps  the  toil  of  the  thing  at  arm's 
length  as  long  as  it  can ;  and  meantime  the  distant 
general  view  seems  to  indicate  on  a  balance  a 
decided  preponderance  in  favour  of  the  sit,  and 
against  the  flit. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 


chap.  viy.  LITERARY  WORK.  361 


DIARY. 

"29th  December  1859. — The  new  volume  of  mis- 
cellaneous sermons,  under  the  title  '  Roots  and  Fruits 
of  the  Christian  Life,'  was  published  near  the  end  of 
November.  Some  days  ago  the  publisher  reported 
that  the  3000  printed  at  first  will  be  all  out  of  his 
hands  this  month,  and  that  another  edition  of  2000 
had  been  sent  to  press.  This  is  a  large  measure  of 
success  in  as  far  as  the  circulation  goes.  I  am  not 
able  to  entertain  much  hope  of  its  usefulness  in  con- 
verting the  careless ;  but  it  may  be  useful  in  in- 
structing Christians. 

"  I  paid  a  visit  to  London  on  the  13th  curt,  to 
lecture  in  the  Young  Men's  Course  at  Exeter  Hall. 
Subject — '  The  Earth,  framed  and  furnished,  as  a 
Habitation  for  Man.'  Was  well  received.  It  was 
not  directly  preaching  the  Gospel,  and  yet  it  was 
work  on  the  Lord's  side,  in  a  department  where  it 
is  needed. 

"  Of  work  for  the  press,  besides  the  large  volume, 
I  have  contributed  of  late — (1)  a  New  Year's  tract 
for  the  Temperance  League,  entitled  '  Prayers  and 
Pains ; '  (2)  a  paper  in  Transactions  of  Social 
Science  on  '  The  Criminality  of  Drunkenness ; '  (3) 
'  Lecture  for  Young  Men  in  London ; '  (4)  a  short 
paper  for  January  number  of  Family  Treasury, 
'  Grace  and  Peace  ;  or,  A  Good  New  Year.' 

"  An  application  was  made  to  me,  in  great  sim- 
plicity of  style,  by  a  Welsh  schoolmaster  near  Car- 


362  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  vn. 

narvon.  for  liberty  to  translate  '  Voyage  of  Life ' 
into  Welsh.  Also  one  from  the  Secretary  of  the 
American  Tract  Society  for  the  tract  'The  Foe  and 
the  Fight,'  for  republication  in  America,  with  both 
of  which  I,  of  course,  cordially  complied." 


To  Rev.  Mr.  Drummond,  Forgandenny. 

"6th  February  1860. 

"My  dear  Mr.  Drummond, — With  this  note  you 
will  receive  five  volumes,  viz. : — 

Vols. 

'  Illustrations  of  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon,'  2 

*  Roots  and  Fruits  of  the  Christian  Life,'     .  1 

'  Memoir  of  James  Halley,  ...  1 

'  The  Race  for  Riches,'        ....  1 

which  please  present  from  me  to  the  Forgandenny 
Parish  Library.  Dear  little,  peaceful,  Forgandenny, 
the  home  of  my  childhood  and  youth,  the  '  place  of 
my  fathers'  sepulchres.'  In  these  volumes  readers  of 
my  own  age,  who  have  spent  their  life  in  the  parish, 
may  recognise  scenes,  incidents,  and  characters 
which  were  photographed  on  my  memory  in  child- 
hood, and  have  thence  been  transferred  to  the 
printed  page.  With  best  wishes  for  the  success  of 
the  library,  and  the  highest  interests  of  its  readers,  I 
am,  yours,  &c,  William  Arnot." 

While  no  man  made  less  of  social  distinctions  in 


chap.  vir.       SOCIAL  POSITION  A   TALENT.  363 

themselves,  or  honoured  more  equally  all  men,  high 
and  low,  according  to  their  character  and  talents,  he 
was  ready,  in  Paul's  spirit  of  being  all  things  to  all 
men,  to  take  advantage  of  these  distinctions  or  pre- 
judices where  they  could  be  of  use  in  a  good  cause. 
He  looked  on  a  high  social  position  as  a  talent  to  be 
used  in  the  Lord's  service,  and  urged  those  who  pos- 
sessed it  to  hold  it  and  use  it  as  such.  The  follow- 
ing letter  to  Dr.  Close,  then  Dean  of  Carlisle,  is  an 
instance  of  this. 

To  the  Very  Rev.  the  Dean  of  Carlisle. 

"  Glasgow,  Zd  February  1860. 

"  Dear  Sir, — The  committee  of  the  Free  Church 
Temperance  Society  have  requested  me  to  communi- 
cate to  you  their  earnest  desire  that  you  should  give 
a  lecture  in  Glasgow  in  the  course  of  the  present 
month  or  the  first  week  of  March.  I  shall  state  as 
shortly  as  I  can  the  main  points.  While  we  work  in 
perfect  accord  with  other  societies,  we  have  access 
to  persons  in  some  quarters  from  which  others  are 
excluded  in  virtue  of  our  express  Christian  basis. 
Our  special  object  at  present  is  to  reach  the  West 
End  classes  of  our  vast  city  by  a  lecture  in  the 
Queen's  Rooms,  West  End  Park,  to  be  given  by  one 
who,  in  addition  to  the  ability  which  in  every  case  is 
necessary,  can,  in  the  Lord's  Providence,  bring  also 
a  high  social  position  as  a  talent  into  the  service.  I 
can  well  understand  how  you  may  be  oppressed  by 


364  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  vu. 

solicitations  with  which  you  are  unable  to  comply. 
I  submit  our  case  to  your  consideration  on  the 
special  ground  that  we  have  here  a  great,  wealthy, 
and  influential  community,  and  that  you  possess  that 
special  requisite  which,  in  addition  to  providing  a 
suitable  appeal,  will  bring  out  the  class  of  persons 
who  need  to  hear  it." 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

rriHE  plans  for  Eastern  travel  having  again  been 
abandoned  for  want  of  company,  he  made  up 
his  mind  to  take  a  shorter  journey  on  his  own  ac- 
count. "  I  have  never  yet  looked  on  the  Alps,"  he 
writes  to  a  friend,  "  and  feel  myself  in  consequence 
onlv  a  half  educated  man." 

DIARY. 

"  27th  May  I860.— Since  the  last  date  my  work 
has  been  all  going  on  as  usual.  At  the  Communion 
in  April  there  were  several  vivid  examples  of  the 
work  of  the  Spirit  in  the  young  people  whom  I 
examined.  I  ought  to  acknowledge  that  there  were 
marks  of  revival,  silent  but  sure.  I  have  been  able 
to  go  through  all  my  engagements  this  season  with- 
out any  interruption  on  the  ground  of  health.  To- 
day I  preached  both  diets  at  home  with  a  moderate 
measure  of  hopefulness  and  comfort — forenoon,  on 
the  parable  of  the  enemy  sowing  tares ;  afternoon, 

on  love  the  brotherhood.       The  prospect  of  setting 

365 


3GC  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  vin. 

out  to-morrow,  with  my  wife,  her  sister,  and  other 
two  young  friends,  for  a  tour  of  five  or  six  weeks 
on  the  Continent,  largely  distracted  me  in  the  pre- 
paration for  preaching ;  but  I  was  not  much  troubled 
with  it  to-day,  either  in  private  or  in  public.  When 
the  new  stream  became  strong  it  overbore  the  other. 
I  take  the  excursion  for  mental  relaxation,  and  for 
education.  I  need  it,  not  for  bodily  health,  but  for 
refreshment  and  rest  to  my  mind.  I  have  prevailed 
upon  my  wife  to  go,  thinking  that  she  needs  it  too, 
after  the  continuous  carefulness  and  fatigue  of  bring- 
ing up  so  far  seven  children.  What  I  want  now  is 
to  do  this  in  simplicity,  and  in  the  spirit  of  adoption, 
not  stealing  it  as  a  deliverance  from  the  service  of 
the  Lord,  but  serving  the  Lord  in  it,  and  looking  for 
His  blessing  on  it,  as  a  means  of  invigorating  the 
ministry  afterwards." 

"  12th  Dec.  1860. — A  long  period,  crowded  with 
events,  has  elapsed  since  last  entry  in  May.  The 
journey  then  contemplated  was  accomplished  in 
perfect  safety.  We  were  about  six  weeks  absent. 
Our  little  girl,  Helen,  passed  through  a  severe 
gastric  fever  during  our  absence,  but  she  was  far 
advanced  in  her  recovery  before  our  return.  Since 
that  date  matters  have  been  going  on  in  their  usual 
routine  until  Sabbath  morning  the  9th,  when  another 
boy  came  home.  All  was  well  then,  and  all  well 
still,  three  days  afterward.  Another  memorial ; 
hitherto  the  Lord  hath  helped  us." 

Some  days  later  he    recurs   again  to  the  child's 


chap.  viii.  CHILD'S  ILLNESS.  367 

illness  above  alluded  to,  and  gives  a  fuller  account 
of  it,  telling  how  they  had  received  the  first  tidings 
of  it  at  Geneva  on  the  Saturday  night,  made  pre- 
parations for  a  hurried  journey  home,  and  were  just 
on  the  point  of  starting  on  Sabbath  afternoon  when 
other  letters  arrived  :  "  They  were  of  two  days' 
later  date.  The  child  had  got  the  turn,  and  was 
progressing  favoui'ably.  Oh,  what  a  reaction  1  It 
was  then  that  the  tears  came  ;  for  I  had  wept  none 
before.  But  tears  of  joy  are  very  sweet.  It  was 
an  intense  joyfulness.  I  hope  there  was  thankful- 
ness to  our  Father  in  heaven." 

To  Dr.  Buchanan. 

"  29th  November  I860. 

"  My  DEAR  Sm, — Obviously  a  communication  re- 
garding the  mysterious  feeler  which  for  some  person 
or  persons  unknown,  you  put  forth  on  Monday  even- 
ing, would  be  most  conveniently  made  viva  voce. 
For  that  purpose  I  watched  for  an  opportunity  in 
Edinburgh,  but  failed  to  find  one.  So,  here  goes,  on 
paper  as  nearly  as  possible  what  I  would  have  said. 

';  I  don't  value — sit  venia  verbo — these  D.D.s  ;  cer- 
tainly not  from  want  of  respect  to  the  Doctors  or 
the  makers  of  doctors,  but  partly  because,  in  my 
judgment,  a  want  of  discrimination  has  sometimes 
been  manifested,  chiefly,  though  not  exclusively,  in 
the  Transatlantic  articles ;  and  perhaps  also  because 
of  a  certain  constitutional  tendency  to  simples  in 


368  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap.  viii. 

my  own  personal  tastes.  I  would  not  do  a  rude 
thing  in  any  case,  but  I  would  contrive  some  means 
by  which  I  would  escape  the  necessity  of  wearing 
the  decoration.  Consequently,  as  prevention  is 
better  than  cure,  it  will  be  more  agreeable  for  all 
parties  if  nothing  more  is  done.  This  is  my  present 
judgment;  at  some  future  time,  if  I  should  possess 
less  of  the  grace  of  pride,  and  more  of  the  grace  of 
humility,  I  might  perhaps  be  willing  to  accept 
the  suggested  honour. — I  am,  yours, 

W.  Arnot." 

It  was  matter  of  surprise  to  many  that  Mr.  Arnot 
remained  all  his  life  without  the  degree  of  D.D.,  and 
some  of  his  friends,  who  were  not  fully  aware  of  his 
sentiments  on  that  subject,  were  inclined  to  blame 
the  senate  of  the  University  of  Glasgow  for  omitting 
to  confer  that  honour  upon  him.  The  fact  seems 
to  have  been  that  at  this  time  it  was  proposed  in 
the  senate,  and  cordially  agreed  to,  that  the  degree 
should  be  conferred  on  Mr.  Arnot ;  but  owing  to 
reports  of  his  opinions  which  had  reached  some  of 
their  number,  Dr.  Buchanan  was  requested  to  sound 
him  as  to  his  willingness  to  receive  it  before  pro- 
ceeding further.  The  above  is  his  reply,  which 
effectually  put  a  stop  to  the  whole  matter. 

Though  the  following  letters  belong  to  a  much 
later  date,  they  will  most  conveniently  find  a  place 
here,  and  so  have  done  with  this  subject,  which  is 
in  itself  of  little  importance,  and  would    not  have 


chap.  vnr.  DEGREE  OF  D.D.  369 

been  introduced  here  but  for  the  fact  that  both  his 
own  action  in  the  matter  and  that  of  his  Alma  Mater 
have  in  various  quarters  been  misunderstood  and 
misrepresented. 

"University  of  the  City  of  New  York, 
Washington  Square. 

"JOHN  C.  GREEN,  President. 

"Rev.  HOWARD  CROSBY,  D.D.,  Chancellor. 

"  WM.  R.  MARTIN,  Secretary,  141  Broadway. 

"New  York,  \2,th  October  1878. 

"  Rev.  William  Arnot,  D.D. 

"  Sir, — I  have  the  honour  to  inform  you  that  at 
a  meeting  of  the  Council  of  the  University  in  May 
1873,  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  was 
conferred  upon  you. 

"A  diploma  is  in  preparation,  and  will,  in  a  few 
days,  be  sent  to  you. — Yours  very  respectfully, 

Wm.  R.  Martin,  Secretary." 

Reply  to  the  above. 

"New  York,  54  W.  36th  Street, 
18th  October  1873. 

"Dear  Sir. — Your  letter  regarding  diploma  was 
waiting  me  here  on  my  return  from  Washington 
yesterday.  I  am  on  wing  for  Europe.  Must  sail 
to-day  at  three  o'clock,  and  my  answer  must  be  brief. 

"  I  mu  ,t  endeavour  to  make  two  things  clear  and 
sure,  though  it  may  seem  difficult  to  reconcile  them. 
2  A 


370  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.      chap.  viii. 

First,  I  shall  entertain  and  express  no  sentiments 
but  those  of  affection  and  high  esteem  for  the  Univer- 
sity of  New  York  and  its  members.  I  value  very 
highly  their  favourable  judgment ;  with  my  whole 
heart  I  reciprocate  their  kind  regard.  Nothing  that 
I  shall  say  or  do  will  tend  to  depreciate  the  worth  of 
their  certificate.  But,  second,  I  do  not  consent  to  have 
my  ordinary  designation  at  home  changed,  and  my 
precedence  among  my  equals  affected  by  their  action 
in  this  country.  I  shall  continue  to  assume,  and  to 
expect  from  others,  my  own  old  simple  designation. 

A  hurried  note  now  of  partial  explanation.  Several 
special  circumstances  forbid  my  assumption  of  the  title. 

First. — The  University  of  Glasgow,  about  fifteen 
years  ago,  sounded  me  on  the  subject,  through  an 
eminent  personage,  and  received  such  a  discouraging 
response,  that  the  matter  was  carried  no  further. 
Many  of  my  friends  in  Scotland  know  the  circum- 
stance, and  believe  that  I  declined  the  honour  when 
offered  by  my  own  university. 

Second. — I  am  minister  of  Free  High  Church  in 
Edinburgh.  A  Dr.  Arnot  is  minister  of  the  High 
Church  there,  connected  with  the  Establishment.  As 
it  is,  my  letters  often  go  to  him.  The  inconvenience 
would  be  increased  if  both  were  designated  doctor. 

Third. — The  resolution  of  your  council,  as  you 
intimate,  was  taken  in  May,  while  your  letter  of 
13th  curt,  is  the  only  intimation  of  the  fact  that  I 
have  received.  Don't  suppose  that  I  mention  the 
circumstance  in  order  to  blame  you.     Far  from  it ;  I 


chap.  vin.  DEGREE  DECLINED.  371 

have  enough  to  do  with  my  own  faults.  My  aim  is 
to  justify  in  your  sight  my  own  acts.  Immediately 
before  leaving  home  in  August  this  year,  I  observed 
in  one  of  our  monthly  religious  journals  an  an- 
nouncement that  your  university  had  conferred  the 
degree  on  me.  I  believed  that  there  was  some  mis- 
take. The  editor  told  me  he  had  seen  it  long 
before  in  an  American  paper.  As  a  considerable 
period  had  intervened,  and  I  had  never  heard  of  it, 
and  had  never  seen  an  American  paper  that  con- 
tained the  notice — although  I  have  many  kind 
correspondents  here,  who  send  me  papers  when  any- 
thing interesting  occurs — I  suspected  it  was  a 
blunder.  I  said  nothing,  however ;  but  within  a 
week  after  the  notice  was  printed  in  Scotland, 
letters  began  to  pour  in  decorated  with  D.D.  Here  I 
was  placed  in  a  difficulty.  If  this  goes  on  unchecked 
for  a  few  weeks,  the  name  will  be  fixed,  fixer1  on  a 
false  information,  and  I  must  walk  through  the 
world  decked  in  plumes  that  are  not  my  own. 

On  the  eve  of  sailing  for  America,  I  sent  a 
letter  to  the  Scotch  newspapers  intimating  that  I 
had  good  grounds  for  believing  that  the  rumom-  was 
unfounded,  and  requesting  that  my  friends  would 
continue  to  address  me  as  before,  and  that  whether 
the  news  should  prove  false  or  true.  This  resolution 
cannot  now  be  changed.  I  think  the  best  method 
is,  let  the  diploma  never  issue,  let  the  whole  matter 
drop  into  silence. 

I  have  written  in  haste,  but  I  should  have  proved 


372  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vm. 

untrue  to  my  judgment  and  my  affections  alike,  if  I 
have  said  anything  that  seems  to  undervalue  the 
honour  which  your  university  meant  to  confer,  or  to 
indicate  any  lack  of  sympathy  on  my  part  with  the 
great  work  which  it  and  kindred  institutions  are 
carrying  on  in  this  great  country,  which  I  see,  and 
rejoice  to  see,  will  soon  take  the  lead  among  the 
nations  of  the  world. — Yours,  in  esteem  and  love, 

William  Arnot." 
"W.  R.  Martin,  Esq." 

Those  who  enjoyed  the  papers  for  the  young 
which  he  so  frequently  contributed  to  the  pages  of 
the  Family  Treasury  in  later  years,  will  be  interested 
in  this  note  of  his  first  effort  in  that  line. 

To  the  Rev.  Andrew  Cameron. 

"8th  February  1861. 
"  Along  with  this  I  post  the  MS.  of  a  children's  ser- 
mon, addressing  it  to  Hope  Park.  Its  title  is  '  Roots 
of  Bitterness  ;  the  Ailment  and  the  Cure.'  .... 
It  is  in  some  respects  venturesome.  It  has  no 
stories.  It  depends  throughout  on  the  use  of  one 
analogy.  My  vine  clings  to  its  trellis,  and  there  are 
nothing  but  the  two  on  the  field.  I  have  studied  to 
avoid  the  ostentatious  display  of  accommodation 
to  children  in  form,  and  the  intrusion  secretly  of 
thoughts  and  expressions  really  demanding  maturity 
of  mind.     It  is  curious  that  this  is  the  first  sermon  I 


chap.  vnr.  REVIVAL.  373 

have  ever  written  for  children.  I  am  somewhat 
apprehensive  regarding  my  success.  But  even 
although  this  should  in  a  measure  fail,  I  would  not 
despair,  of  succeeding  better  next  time." 

The  year  1861  is  remembered  as  a  time  of  great 
spiritual  awakening  in  Glasgow.  It  seemed  to  take 
its  commencement  in  the  meetings  held  by  an  Ameri- 
can evangelist,  Mr.  E.  P.  Hammond,  but  soon  spread 
wide  and  deep  through  all  the  congregations  of  the 
city.  Special  meetings  were  held  nightly  in  the 
various  churches  for  a  week  at  a  time,  and  the 
means  used  were  largely  blessed.  Mr.  Arnot  from 
the  first  co-operated  heartily  with  the  leaders  of  the 
movement,  and  he  had  the  great  joy  of  seeing  many 
fruits  of  the  revival  among  his  own  flock. 

DIARY. 

"7th  April  1861. — The  quickening  spirit  is  at 
work  both  in  my  family  and  in  my  congregation. 
To-day  I  enjoyed  the  preaching.  The  congregation 
very  large,  and  hopefully  solemnised.  Subject, 
afternoon,  Ps.  xl.  1,  '  I  waited  patiently  for  the 
Lord.'  We  have  made  arrangements  for  holding 
congregational  meetings  nightly  for  a  week.  Great 
inquiry  throughout  the  city.  We  must  watch 
whereunto  the  thing  will  grow.  I  hope  that  I  am 
on  the  eve  of  an  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  in  large 
measure  on  my  own  dear  people." 

A  fortnight  later,  after  enumerating  several  hopeful 


374  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vin. 

cases  which  had  come  under  his  own  observation,  he 
goes  on  to  say  :  "  These  are  not  all.  Decided  re- 
vival has  been  and  is  within  the  borders  of  the 
congregation.  The  meetings  have  been  very  re- 
freshing to  many." 

Again,  on  14th  May. — "  Still  a  softening  among 
the  people,  and  more  power  with  the  word.  On 
Thursday  evening,  last  week,  I  resumed  the  weekly 
prayer  meeting,  for  three  weeks  interrupted  because 
of  conjoint  nightly  meetings  in  other  churches.  It 
was  large  and  soft ;  only  an  hour,  and  no  inquiry 
meeting.  I  conducted  it  wholly  myself.  I  was 
happy  and  hopeful  all  the  time,  and  at  the  close." 

A  distinctive  feature  of  the  revival  at  this  time 
was  the  extent  to  which  it  spread  among  the  young. 
Special  meetings  for  children  were  held  nightly  for 
many  weeks  in  Free  Anderston  Church,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Somerville's,  the  area  of  the  church  being  usually 
quite  filled  with  children  of  various  ages  and  from 
all  ranks.  Very  many  showed  signs  of  deep  impres- 
sions ;  and  though  in  some,  no  doubt,  it  was  a  mere 
outward  excitement  which  quickly  passed  away,  in 
others  the  impression  made  was  deep  and  lasting ; 
and  there  are  many  now  grown  up  and  members 
of  the  church  to  whom  the  hours  spent  at  these 
meetings  are  among  the  most  precious  memories  of 
their  childhood. 

"Dec.  1861. — Spiritual  work  in  the  congregation 


chap.  vm.     A  SABBATH  IN  SWITZERLAND.  375 

less  public,  and  less  demonstrative ;  but  have  reason 
to  believe  it  does  not  cease." 

In  the  autumn  of  this  year  he  took  another  short 
run  on  the  Continent,  with  the  double  object  of 
taking-  his  eldest  daughter  to  school  at  Lausanne, 
and  attending  the  meetings  of  the  Evangelical  Alli- 
ance at  Geneva.  We  give  from  his  journal  the 
history  of  a  Sabbath's  rest  and  work  on  the  way. 

"Brieg,  Sabbath,  8th  September  1861. 

"  I  have  this  forenoon  enjoyed  opportunities  of 
preaching  on  a  small  scale,  which  I  did  not  expect. 
The  man  who  drove  me  in  a  char-a-banc  from  Visp 
yesterday  morning  is  still  hanging  on  for  a  chance 
customer  to  carry  in  the  direction  of  home — away 
eastward  in  the  Bernese  Oberland.  He  is  an  ener- 
getic fellow  in  his  business.  As  we  were  coming 
towards  Brieg  yesterday,  I  requested  him  to  keep  a 
look-out  among  the  hotels  for  me,  and  let  me  know 
if  he  found  any  return  carriage  for  the  Simplon,  or 
any  party  that  could  take  one  into  their  carriage, 
or  any  party  waiting  like  myself,  with  whom  I  might 
join  in  hiring.  He  readily  consented.  But  after  a 
little  he  broke  silence  again  with  an  energetic 
jabber,  ending  with  a  repeated  emphatic  'fur  mich' 
(for  me,  in  my  interest).  I  did  not  take  him  up  for 
a  while,  for  at  that  time  I  was  not  aware  of  his 
circumstances.  At  last  the  light  dawned  upon  me, 
and  I  drew  it  out  clear  bit  by  bit — that  he  expected 


376  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.       chap.  viit. 

me,  among  the  gentlemen  at  the  table  dliote,  to  keep 
a  look-out  for  customers  to  him.  I  promised,  and 
kept  my  word.  Well,  he  was  hanging  on  when  I 
went  out  to-day.  I  asked  him  to  sit  down  beside 
me  outside,  and  took  out  my  German  Testament. 
He  looked  at  it  with  great  interest ;  and  after  I  had 
read  some  portions  to  him,  he  said,  '  It  is  a  beautiful 
book  ;  would  that  it  were  mine.'  This  moved  me  a 
good  deal.  I  would  fain  have  given  the  poor  fellow 
the  testament,  but  then  I  had  not  another,  and 
could  not  have  read  a  verse  to  any  other  person 
afterwards.  He  can  read.  He  examined  the  title- 
page,  and  saw  Martin  Luther's  name.  He  said  they 
are  not  allowed  to  have  Martin  Luther's  bible ;  the 
whole  canton  is  Popish.  I  explained  to  him  that  it 
is  God's  word,  and  not  Luther's.  I  read  the  Lord's 
Prayer  and  the  Ave  Maria,  to  let  him  see  that  it  con- 
tains the  same  things  as  the  Catholic  bible.  I  was 
able  also  easily  to  tell  him  the  grounds  of  salvation 
— that  there  is  only  one  Mediator  between  God  and 
man,  the  Son  of  God.  Then  a  discussion  followed 
regarding  Mary.  I  pointed  out  to  him  that  she 
could  not  hear  prayer,  for  she  is  not  God.  He  still 
repeated  that  devilish  wile  of  Popery,  '  She  can  in- 
tercede with  her  Son.'  I  told  him  that  Christ  loves 
us  already,  and  loves  to  forgive — that  He  told  His 
disciples  to  shut  the  door  of  their  closet,  and  pray 
in  secret ;  and  that  Mary,  being  a  creature,  could 
not  hear.  He  shook  me  by  the  hand,  looking 
solemnized  and  affectionate  when  I  parted.     .     .     . 


chap.  via.  WAYSIDE  PREACHING.  377 

"After  that  I  walked  up  the  hill  on  one  side  a 
considerable  distance,  striking  off  near  the  town 
from  the  public  road  into  a  narrow  track.  I  soon 
came  upon  a  considerable  clump  of  houses,  like  a 
farm  steading.  At  the  door  of  the  house  sat  one 
old  man.  I  accosted  him  with  a  kindly  good  day, 
and  sat  down  beside  him.  He  looked  very  friendly, 
but  hardly  answered  any  of  my  remarks.  After  a 
few  moments,  I  discovered  a  young  man  lying  under 
the  shade  of  a  thick  tree,  right  before  the  door,  and 
within  speaking  distance.  I  gave  him  a  nod  and  a 
good  day,  whereupon  he  rose  and  came  forward. 
The  conversation  now  became  quite  lively  and  in- 
telligible. Then  he  told  me  that  the  old  man  was 
dull  of  hearing ;  this  he  did  by  way  of  explaining 
why  he  had  told  the  man  in  a  loud  voice  some 
things  that  I  had  said.  I  then  spoke  louder,  and 
the  old  man  joined.  He  asked  if  I  spoke  French.  I 
told  him  my  language  was  English.  He  asked  if  I 
came  from  France  (the  notion  of  the  existence  of 
England  is  somewhat  cloudy.  France  seems  nearer 
them ;  it  touches  their  own  country).  I  answered 
that  I  had  come  from  England,  and  travelled  through 
and  through  the  kingdom  of  France.  His  next 
question  was  a  poser — '  Did  you  travel  on  foot  all 
the  way?'  Of  course,  I  informed  him  that  I  was 
indebted  to  the  Eisenbahn  and  the  locomotive. 
Speaking  of  the  mountains,  which  seemed  almost 
to  overhang  us,  I  told  the  young  man  that  we,  in 
Scotland,   have  mountains   like  these,   but  smaller: 


378  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vm. 

that  our  mountains  are  like  theirs  as  a  child  is  like  a 
man.  Thereupon  the  young  man  kindled  up  into  a 
most  satisfied  and  patriotic  glow,  and  told  the  deaf 
one  in  a  loud  voice,  and  in  better  phraseology  than 
mine,  what  I  had  said.  They  then  addressed  several 
very  pertinent  questions  about  the  products  of  my 
country.  I  now  thought  it  time  to  table  my  testa- 
ment. I  read  portions  of  it,  and  told  them  of  the 
one  Mediator.  The  youth  at  parting  gave  me  a 
hearty  shake,  and  '  a  good  journey  for  to-morrow.' 

"  These  people  can  read,  but  God's  word  is  kept 
out  of  their  way.  This  is  the  condition  of  Popish 
Switzerland.  The  temporal  government  does  its 
part  in  teaching  all  to  read ;  the  spiritual  tyranny, 
serving  its  own  master,  takes  care  that  they  shall 
not  have  the  Book  of  Salvation  to  read. 

"  As  a  testimony  for  the  precious  day  of  the  Lord, 
I  took  care  to  tell  those  with  whom  I  conversed,  that 
I  travel  none  to-day,  because  it  is  the  Lord's  day. 
At  the  hotel  I  see  this  testimony  is  impressive.  The 
men  speak  of  it  with  approval — with  wonder — and 
regret  apparently  that  they  cannot  do  likewise. 
The  waiter  has  informed  me  that  the  gentleman  and 
three  ladies  who  arrived  last  night  are  English,  and 
also  rest  in  the  hotel  all  day,  because  it  is  Sabbath. 
So  in  this  one  town  two  parties,  consisting  of  five 
persons,  bear  witness  by  deeds  to  the  authority  and 
preciousness  of  the  day  of  rest. 

"  If  it  depended  on  the  inherent  excellence  of  our 
service,  I  could  not  expect  a  blessing  with  this  testi- 


chap.  viii.  CALLS.  379 

mony,  for,  alas !  the  force  of  habit  and  the  weakness 
of  faith  together  make  me  a  good  deal  weary  to-day. 
But  still  I  shall  expect  a  blessing  for  the  Lord's 
sake,  both  to  the  people  here  and  to  myself.  In 
many  ways  it  may  be  a  lesson  to  me.  I  may  know 
myself  better,  and  be  upon  my  guard  not  to  claim 
merit  even  for  devotional  liveliness  and  delight  in  the 
Sabbath  at  home.  I  owe  it  not  to  any  advanced 
spiritual  life  in  me,  but  to  my  circumstances  and 
training — that  is,  to  God's  providence  and  God's 
grace." 

DIARY. 

"2d  Feb.  1862.— I  am  at  home  on  Sabbath— at 
home  alone — too  much  oppressed  with  a  cold  to 
preach,  or  even  go  out.  This  is  to  me  a  strange 
experience.  If  my  life  is  spared,  I  must  lay  my 
account  with  more  frequent  feebleness.  I  suspect  I 
shall  find  it  more  difficult  to  learn  to  rest  than  1 
have  found  it  to  learn  to  labour." 

"  1st  June  1862. — An  event  of  some  importance 
passed  between  14th  March  and  14th  April.  I  was 
invited  by  the  promoters  of  Kelvinside  Church  to  be 
their  minister.  My  mind  lay  to  it  for  some  time,  but 
the  difficulties  gradually  increased,  so  that  I  found  it 
necessary  to  decline. 

"  Another  thing  presses  me  at  present.  Mr. 
Rainy,  of  the  High  Church,  Edinburgh,  was,  on 
Tuesday  last,  elected  to  the  Chair  of  Church  History 
in  the  Free  Church  College,  and  a  strong  rumour 
runs  that  the  congregation  will  invite  me  to  succeed 


380  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vm. 

him.  It  was  painful  to  go  about  the  lobbies  of  the 
Assembly,  so  many  persons  spoke  of  it  to  me.  I 
know  not  whether  the  proposal  Avill  ever  be  made, 
but  my  mind  works  away  at  the  case  in  secret — if  I 
should  be  invited,  would  I,  should  I,  go  %  A  change 
of  scene  and  ministry  would  be  very  good  for  me ; 
but  Glasgow  is  not  so  well  supplied  as  Edinburgh. 
On  the  other  hand,  as  my  mind  is  pretty  clear  that 
a  change  would  be  advantageous,  no  other  suitable 
opportunity  will  probably  occur.  I  must  fall  back 
on  my  old  principle,  that  served  me  in  good  stead  at 
the  time  of  my  marriage,  '  I  being  in  the  way,  the 
Lord  led  me.' " 

"  11th  Dec.  1862.— The  affair  of  the  High  Church 
has  exercised  me,  I  hope  profitably,  and  then  passed 
away  like  a  cloud." 

In  the  autumn  of  1862  Mr.  Arnot  again  supplied 
the  pulpit  of  Regent  Square  Church,  London,  for 
four  consecutive  Sabbaths.  On  this  occasion  he  was 
accompanied  by  his  wife  and  two  of  his  children, 
and  they  occupied  Dr.  Hamilton's  house  in  Eustou 
Square,  in  the  absence  of  the  family.  At  the  end  of 
three  weeks,  Mrs.  Arnot  and  the  children  returned 
home,  leaving  him  to  preach  another  Sabbath,  and 
to  meet  his  eldest  daughter,  who  was  then  on  her 
way  home  from  Switzerland  in  charge  of  a  friend. 
Disliking  the  prospect  of  a  week  alone  in  London,  he 
thought  of  going  across  to  Paris  for  a  day  or  two, 
and  had  actually  started,  when  the  missing  of  a  train 


chap.  viii.  ALONE  IN  LONDON.  381 

set  hirn  to  reconsider  his  plans,  and  lie  determined  to 
remain  where  he  was.  The  letter  in  which  he  gives 
the  history  of  this  change  of  mind  is  very  charac- 
teristic. The  latter  part  is  a  good  specimen  of  the 
kind  of  doggerel  rhyme  which,  when  he  was  in  the 
mood  for  it,  he  would  extemporise  with  great  ease 
and  rapidity,  for  the  amusement  of  himself  and  his 
children  and  very  intimate  friends. 

To  his  Wife. 

"London,  Tuesday  Evening, 
"  20th  August  1862. 

"Dearest  Jane, — It  is  now  8  p.m.  I  hope  you  are 
safely  past  Carstairs,  with  your  sandwich-bag  empty. 
Would  you  like  to  know  my  history  since  we  parted 
in  mighty  Euston  at  ten  to-day?  After  sundry 
switherations — more  meo  solito — let  Bob  translate  if 
he  can,  and  if  he  can't,  be  ashamed  of  himself — I 
started  at  2.35,  with  two  shirts  on  and  some  whittles 
in  my  pocket,  bent  on  starting  from  Victoria  for 
Dover  by  a  train  at  three.  Reached  the  station  by 
omnibus  exactly  at  3.5.  Walked  about,  then  sat 
awhile,  intending  to  go  at  4.10 ;  but  at  3.45  I  grew 
a  wiser  man,  and  jumped  into  an  omnibus  for  Tot- 
tenham. Heat  growing  great,  found  that  to  flee  to 
France  would  not  rid  me  of  myself,  and  that  if  this 
self  be  naughty,  it  will  not  be  rectified  by  parlez- 
vous.  Found  also  that  I  have  much  work  before  me, 
and  that  I   have  rested  a  good  deal   this  summei 


382  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vm. 

already.  'So  I  am  here  again,  and  have  toiled 
diligently  all  the  afternoon.  Don't  think  now  that 
I  shall  go  to  France  at  all,  but  promise  nothing. 

"  Now,  if  I  had  caught  the  right  train  for  Dover, 
By  this  time  I  would  have  been  far,  far  away  ; 
But  I'm  glad,  since  it  is  so,  I  didn't  go  over, 
'Twas  better,  in  every  view,  surely,  to  stay. 
Six  good  days'  work  done, 
While  I  am  here  alone, 
Yield  fruits  more  substantial 
Than  loitering  in  France  ;  ye  all 
At  home  will  applaud  my  choice, 
Though  I  can't  hear  your  voice. 

"  Send  me  a  letter  to  say  if  you  better 
Fared  in  the  train,  than  when  we  in  the  main 
Body  started  together,  in  hot  dusty  weather, 
To  visit  the  capital,  bent  keenly  on  it  all. 

"  Give  my  love,  give  my  best,  to  the  birds  in  the  nest — 
The  five  youngest  fledglings,  the  dear  little  hedgelings, 
Who  nestled  at  home,  while  we  went  to  roam 
In  southern  air,  through  the  world's  great  fair. 

"  Tell  them  I'm  coming  back,  though  on  another  track  ; 
Say  that  I'm  coming  home,  and  coming  not  alone  : 
Through  mountainous  passes,  on  mules  and  on  asses, 
From  Swissland  a  maiden  is  coming  all  laden 
With  love  and  with  kisses  for  the  dear  little  misses 
That  are  shut  in  the  ark  at  twelve  Hamilton  Park. 

"  Mamma  brought  them  toys,  in  which  they  rejoice 
Their  sister  and  brother,  as  well  as  their  mother, 
Remembered  their  Willie,  and  Mary,  and  Nellie, 
And  Annie,  and  Johnny,  the  gentle  and  bonny, 
The  darling  of  all  the  house,  greater  and  small, 
But  papa  hopes  to  bring  home  another  darling  ; 
May  God  safely  send  her,  from  all  ill  defend  her, 
By  sea  and  by  land,  in  his  Fatherly  hand, 
A  darling  grown  dearer,  now  that  a  nearer 
Prospect  of  meeting  her  and  fondly  greeting  her 
Breaks  like  the  sunrise  on  our  long  straining  eyes." 


chap.  vm.  POSITION  IN  GLASGOW.  383 

"It  will  be  joyful,  very  joyful  when  the  scattered 
children  meet  again  at  home;  but  that  joy,  sweet 
though  it  be,  is  in  some  measure  marred  by  the 
knowledge  that  it  cannot  last  always.  Let  us  all 
be  children,  elder  and  younger,  of  our  heavenly 
Father's  family  ;  and  so,  when  we  meet  in  the  many 
mansions  of  His  home,  we  shall  go  no  more  out. — 
Yours,  William  Arnot." 


To  Dr.  Hanna. 

Glasgow,  22d  January  1863. 

"My  dear  Dr.  Hanna, — Ever  since  a  proposal 
was  made  to  me  in  the  spring  of  last  year  by  the 
people  of  Kelvinside,  a  series  of  nibblings  has  been 
carried  on  at  my  roots,  with  the  view  of  ascertain- 
ing whether  the  tree  might  not  even  yet  be  trans- 
planted. If  I  had  proclaimed  from  the  house-top 
that  I  would  live  and  die  with  my  beloved  people, 
&c,  &c,  I  would,  of  course,  have  been  permitted 
to  prosecute  my  work  in  obscurity  and  peace. 
But  the  proclamation  would  be  untrue,  and  there- 
fore I  cannot  make  it.  I  do  not  know  any 
minister  in  Scotland  who  has  more  cause  to  be 
contented  than  I  have ;  and  I  am  contented.  My 
congregation  is  large,  loving,  and  united.  There 
never  has  been  a  jar  in  our  courts  or  congrega- 
tion. Nothing  that  has  happened  can  affect  me  or 
my  position  here ;  because,  publicly  and  privately, 


384  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  viii. 

for  many  years,  I  have  made  known  my  judgment, 
that  what  remains  of  my  ministry  would  probably 
be  fresher  and  more  effective,  both  for  myself  and 
the  church,  if  it  were  exercised  in  a  new  sphere. 
On  that  ground,  I  entertained  and  expressed  an 
inclination  to  close  with  the  invitation  to  Kelvin- 
side.  My  people  resisted  and  overcame  that  in- 
clination, mainly  on  the  ground  that  the  place  was 
too  near  (exactly  two  miles),  and  would  shatter 
St.  Peter's.  In  their  reasoning  with  me,  they  ex- 
pressly intimated  that  they  would  not  oppose  a 
call  to  another  place,  if  the  place  and  call  were 
worthy,  and  I  should  be  inclined  to  accept  it." 

To  Dr.  Hamilton. 

Glasgow,  \Uh  February  lsd3. 

"  My  duak  Sir, — ■ 

"  ....  I  have  given  you  this  history  for 
the  purpose  of  saying,  in  connection  with  it,  two 
things.  First — In  all  these  I  have  done  nothing 
in  the  initiative.  When  grave  proposals  are  made, 
I  gravely  consider  them.  In  all,  I  have  decided 
on  good  grounds,  and  my  decisions  have,  I  think, 
been  right.  But  (second),  the  great  public  do  not 
discriminate  nicely.  They  do  things  by  slump. 
Hearing  that  a  certain  minister  has  been  named 
two  or  three  times  in  one  year,  with  a  view  to 
translation,  and  that  he  still  remains  untranslated, 
they  determine,  by  a  short-cut    style  of  reasoning, 


chap.  viir.    PROPOSAL  OF  A  CALL  TO  LONDON.     385 

that  there  must  be  something  fickle  about  him.  It 
is  in  view  of  this  history  that  I  am  inclined  to 
say,  Let  well  alone.  I  am  fully  employed,  encour- 
aged, and  happy. 

"  I  suppose  when  you  speak  of  a  possible  union 
in  Regent  Square,  you  have  under  the  rose  a  pos- 
sible eke  of  income  to  both,  through  James  Nisbet, 
or  similar  channels.  To  this  I  would  not  object; 
and  I  would  not  shrink  from  risk  in  that  direction. 
But  as  I  hinted  in  my  last,  as  long  as  both  are 
able  to  preach  twice  every  Sabbath,  it  would  to 
the  church  appear  strange  that  we  should  be  re- 
duced to  half  work.  This  objection  seems  very 
serious.  If  it  were  possible  to  have  two  kirks,  the 
project  might  do ;  but  I  suppose  that  is  impossible. 
The  other  suggestion  is  an  interesting  conception; 
but  I  fear  it  is  only  an  idea.  Had  there  been  a 
church  and  a  plain  statement  of  its  locality,  its 
debts,  its  circumstances,  sent  to  me,  I  could  have 
given  a  categorical  in  seven  days.  On  the  other 
hand,  there  is.  no  party  who  will  put  matters  in 
that  position,  and  then  begin  to  look  out  for  a 
minister,  lest  they  should  be  refused  by  the  one 
whom  they  think  suitable,  and  driven  down  and 
down  till  they  come  to  one  who  had  nothing 
enticing  at  home. 

"  I  see   the  fix,  but  I  do  not  see  the  way  out  oi 

it.      My  advice,  therefore,  is   to  do    nothing.      Not 

being  able  to    strike   out  a    bold    positive  line    for 

doing  much  good,  I  take  refuge  in  the  other  alter- 

2  B 


386  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  viii. 

native — I  adopt  the  method  that  will  be  sure  to  do 
no  evil. 

"  Close  it,  unless  you  can  send  me  any  sugges- 
tion about  the  possibility  or  impossibility  of  two 
churches,  joined  like  binary  stars,  to  revolve  round 
each  other.  Could  we  not  propagate  our  kind 
in  this  form  with  less  risk  than  by  a  separate 
institution  %  " 

To  Dr.  Hamilton. 

"Glasgow,  5th  May  1863. 

"My  dear  Sir, — I  am  moved  to  indite  a  short 
epistle  to  you  by  two  considerations. 

"  First.  You  intend  to  be  at  Stonehouse  early  in 
June :  I  hope  to  meet  you  there.  But  I  write  now 
to  advise  you  to  take  up  your  abode  with  us  while 
you  may  be  in  Glasgow,  before  or  after  your 
engagement  at  Stonehouse. 

"Second.  The  notices  of  your  college  in  Report 
of  Synod  call  up  some  dreams.  The  ambition  of 
M'Cosh,  Cairns,  and  another,  added  to  your  present 
staff,  seems  Utopian.  The  expense,  £1500  per 
annum,  in  addition  to  the  present  expenditure.  It 
is  not  decorous  for  a  man  to  recommend  himself; 
but  secretly,  and  in  the  circumstances,  it  is  not 
sinful  to  dream  that  the  collegiate  of  which  you 
lately  whispered  might  be  possible  there.  You  and 
I,  if  colleagues,  might  be  professors  too.  Defect  of 
learning  on  one  side  (my  own)  would,  in  my  judg- 


chap.  vni.  CALL  TO  EDINBURGH.  387 

ment,  be  made  up  by  the  gain  of  having  ministers 
to  mould  ministers.  This  is  a  great  point,  which 
all  our  colleges  ignore.  I  do  not  know  how  your 
course  is  distributed ;  but  apologetics  and  New 
Testament  exegesis,  with  some  other  fragments, 
might  be  undertaken  by  these  two,  and  they  would 
get  it  cheap — £150  or  £200  a-year  each  I  I  could 
support  the  idea  with  many  good  arguments ;  but 
it  is  an  idea  only.  Abstract  it  must  remain,  floating 
about  like  a  ghost ;  concrete  body  for  it  is  not  in 
these  times. — Yours,  William  Arnot." 

The  proposal  to  call  him  to  the  Free  High  Church, 
Edinburgh,  which  had  fallen  through  the  previous 
year,  on  account  of  the  strong  opposition  of  a  por- 
tion of  the  congregation,  was  now  renewed,  and 
caused  him  much  anxiety  and  vexation  before  it 
was  settled.  The  opposition  was  renewed  and  per- 
sisted in  to  such  an  exteDt,  that  he  felt  inclined 
over  and  over  again  to  interpose,  and  authorita- 
tively withdraw  his  name.  But  his  strong  principles 
on  the  subject  of  calls  and  ministerial  work  did  not 
permit  such  a  course.  He  kept  silence  till  the  matter 
came  formally  before  him,  and  the  decision  then 
arrived  at  was  in  accordance  with  his  sense  of  duty, 
and  what  he  believed  to  be  the  leading  of  Provi- 
dence, but  directly  opposed  to  his  own  inclinations 
at  the  time. 


388  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  viii. 


To  Rev.  Dr.  Hamilton. 

"Glasgow,  1th  August  1863. 

"My  dear  Hamilton, — It  is  due  to  you,  as  you 
have  long  taken  a  friendly  interest  in  my  affairs, 
to  let  you  know,  which  I  hereby  do,  that  it  ap- 
pears to  be  as  good  as  settled  that  I  go  to  Edin- 
burgh after  all.  The  crisis,  as  I  understand  the 
matter,  was  on  Wednesday  last,  when  I  allowed 
my  congregation  to  be  summoned.  Then  was  the 
time,  if  ever,  to  reject  the  call.  I  cannot  trouble 
either  myself  or  you  with  details.  Suffice  it  to  say, 
that  my  judgment  formed  itself  suddenly  at  last. 
I  was  annoyed  and  wearied  with  the  concern,  and 
looked  forward  to  the  Presbytery  here,  if  ever  the 
case  should  reach  it,  as  my  opportunity  to  clear 
out  of  the  concern  with  some  laudable  indignation. 
But  when  I  found  that  the  opposition  had  an- 
nounced itself  over,  and  the  call  was  good — 238 
members,  there  being  only  410  sittings  let — good, 
that  is,  proportionally, — the  wind  took  me  suddenly 
on  another  tack.  On  the  main  merits,  apart  from 
specialities,  judgment  would  have  gone  in  favour 
of  removal ;  if  the  call  is  rejected,  it  must  be  re- 
jected on  the  ground  of  the  specialities,  and  these,  as 
they  have  now  come  out,  do  not  avail  to  reverse 
the  decision  which  the  merits  bore.  I  was,  ere  I 
was  aware,  shut  up  by  the  stern  logic  of  the  case. 
And,  lo !    a    tumult    of  commotion    lies    before    me. 


chap.  vra.  CALL  TO  EDINBURGH.  389 

(Perhaps  I  have  spoken  too  abstractly.  I  mean  the 
row  that  these  fellows  kicked  up,  although  touching 
one's  pride  painfully,  is  really  not  sufficient  reason 
for  reversing  what,  in  absence  of  said  row,  would 
have  been  my  judgment,  and  so  in  effect  proclaim- 
ing to  all  such  in  future  ages — only  kick  up  a  dust, 
and  you  will  gain  your  point.)  I  hope  I  shall  have 
pith  to  go  rightly  through.  My  judgment  is,  on  the 
whole,  pretty  clear.  You  see  I  have  been  so  vexed 
by  these  matters  since  Buchanan  moved  in  the  Kel- 
vinside  affair,  eighteen  months  ago,  that  if  I  had 
rejected  this,  I  must — for  my  own  sake  and  my 
people's — have  advertised  all  and  sundry,  there  must 
be  no  more  of  this.  But  there  is  no  formula  for 
accomplishing  that  object,  except  the  announce- 
ment, with  or  without  the  use  of  the  handkerchief, 
that  I  shall  lay  my  bones  among  my  beloved  people, 
etc.     That  ain't  in  my  line. 

"I  hope  to  have  September  free,  perhaps  in  the 
Highlands,  perhaps  in  Germany.  I  am  quite  hope- 
ful that,  if  my  health  is  spared  a  while,  with  the 
relief  which  the  change  will  afford,  I  may  do  some 
things  which  here  I  could  not  do.  At  all  events,  if  I 
should  not  succeed  in  being  more  useful,  I  shall  have 
encouraged  somewhat  the  circulation  of  Free  Church 
niii listers,  which  is  a  thing  much  to  be  desired. 

"  We  were  a  month  at  Port  Bannatyne,  and  re- 
turned at  the  end  of  July.  I  suppose  you  will  heave 
in  sight  soon.     Love  to  all  the  house.— Yours, 

William  Arnot." 


390  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vm. 


DIARY. 

"23d  August  1863,  Sabbath  evening. — I  am  very 
desolate  to-day.  I  indicated  on  Thursday  to  the 
Presbytery  my  willingness  to  accept  the  call  from 
Edinburgh,  and  they  took  the  usual  steps  for 
severing  my  connection  with  St.  Peter's.  I  have 
preached  to  my  people  all  day  for  the  last  time 
as  their  minister.     I  am  quite  crushed." 

To  Dr.  Charles  Brown. 

"Glasgow,  24«A  August  1863. 

"My  dear.  Dr.  Brown,  —  I  was  too  busy  on 
Saturday  with  my  preparation  for  Sabbath  to  attend 
to  correspondence ;  but  this  morning  I  hasten  to 
acknowledge  and  reciprocate  your  kindness  in  both 
letters. 

"  In  many  features  this  case  is  peculiar.  I  am  not 
able  at  present,  however,  to  tell  you  at  large  how  it 
has,  in  its  various  stages,  presented  itself  to  me.  I 
have  had  much  to  bear  in  connection  with  it. 
Chiefly  in  restraining  myself ;  for  I  have  all  along 
thought,  and  think  still,  that  an  injustice  was  done 
to  me  at  an  early  stage,  when  a  signed  list  of  objec- 
tions was  given  in  and  discussed  in  the  Presbytery, 
and  afterwards  concealed  from  the  public  and  from 
me.  It  has  almost  crushed  me  in  the  end,  to  find 
my  judgment  leading  me  to  a  conclusion  which 
seems  to  humiliate  me  in  the  face  of  the  church  and 


chap.  vin.      PAIN  OF  LEAVING  GLASGOW.  391 

the  world.  However,  when  I  took  the  step,  I  took  it 
deliberately  as  the  right  one  ;  and  although  I  am  at 
present  in  almost  complete  darkness  and  desolation 
regarding  it,  I  shall  go  forward,  hoping  that  God  our 
Father  will  either  open  up  the  path  and  shed  light 
and  hope  on  it,  or  alternatively  make  my  stumbles 
the  instruments  of  chastening  me  into  conformity 
with  the  mind  of  Christ.  I  shall  go  forward,  I  mean, 
unless  something  occur  to  stop  me ;  and  I  confess 
that  in  the  bitterness  of  my  heart,  yesterday,  I  cried 
to  God  to  stop  it.  When  you  dig  down  with  the 
intention  of  removing  a  tree — an  old  one — you  gene- 
rally find  the  roots  are  stronger  and  deeper  than  you 
expected.  There  is  danger  lest  the  tree  die  in  your 
hands.  Your  city  is  thought  beautiful ;  oh !  if  you 
knew  what  a  dark  repulsive  shadow  it  throws  across 
my  heart  at  this  hour !  I  am  not  able  to  determine 
at  present  how  much  of  this  belongs  to  a  grief  that 
is  natural  and  temporary.  Perhaps  in  a  week  hence 
I  shall  be  more  able  to  judge.  We  must  work  our 
way  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord's  will  through  fire 
and  water.  He  does  not  give  it  by  large  letters  on 
the  sky  which  the  indolent  might  read. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

To  Professor  Miller. 

"Glasgow,  lith  August  1863. 
"  My  dear  Doctor, — You  know  the  patient  well. 
How  did  you  divine  the  number,  depth,  and  direc- 


392  MEMOIR  OF  REV.  W.  ARNOT.        chap.  vin. 

tion  of  the  wounds  that  would  this  morning  be 
gaping  in  my  heart,  needing  an  inpouring  of  the 
wine  and  oil  by  the  friendly  hand  of  a  good 
Samaritan  % 

"  Briefly,  I  took  the  main  step  deliberately  as  the 
right  one, — shown  to  be  right  by  a  preponderance  of 
reasons  on  that  side;  but  all  seemed  dark  yesterday. 
What  if  in  self-seeking,  self-indulgence,  I  am  fleeing 
from  work.  The  grosser  forms  of  self-interest  were 
not  there.  I  neither  gained  money  nor  eclat ;  but 
may  there  not  be  cleaner  and  genteeler  forms  of  the 
same  principle  creeping  under  the  folds !  I  hope, 
however,  that  I  shall  again  get  my  foot  upon  a  firm 
place,  and  be  able  to  go  forward.  My  habits  of 
study  have  greatly  changed  since  about  1856  ;  much 
more  full  and  exact  and  careful.  It  is  better  so  for 
my  people ;  but  it  wearies  and  wastes  me  on  the 
whole.  It  strongly  took  hold  of  me  that  I  might 
make  my  work  letter  for  a  few  years  with  a  smaller 
outlay  in  a  new  sphere  ;  and  that  to  refuse  a  lawful 
opportunity  of  making  a  change  would  in  effect  be 
to  determine,  that  having  five  talents,  I  would  only 
occupy  three  of  them.  Some  sentences  of  the  report 
were  correct,  but  a  great  part  was  hopeless  nonsense. 
.  .  .  Your  letter  abundantly  repaid  your  labour 
in  the  quantum  of  good  it  did.  '  More  blessed  to 
give,'  etc. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 


chap.  vnr.  FAMILIAR  FACES.  393 

To  Mr.  H.  K.  Wood,  Glasgow, 
A  Member  of  Free  St.  Peter's  Session. 

"Edinburgh,  20th  October  1863. 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Wood, — As  I  sat  last  night  at  the 
receipt  of  custom,  in  the  tall  vestry  of  the  High 
Church,  a  young  woman  entered,  looking  not  as  a 
stranger,  and  presenting  a  certificate  like  the  rest. 
I  unfolded  the  document,  and  found  the  familiar  St. 
Peters  formula,  signed  by  George  Edwards  and 
Hugh  Wood.  The  thing  went  to  my  heart  like  a  shot. 
There  stood  Elizabeth  Norval,  whom  I  had  bap- 
tised as  an  adult  in  St.  Peter's,  holding  by  the  Lord 
stedfastly  here  among  strangers,  and  glad  to  become 
one  of  the  lambs  of  the  flock  again.  A  few  minutes 
before,  a  tall  and  strong  young  man  had  come  in  and 
claimed  recognition.  His  name  is  Clark ;  he  was  a 
member  of  St.  Peter's  while  he  resided  at  Partick ; 
has  been  about  two  years  in  a  responsible  employ- 
ment in  Leith;  and  now,  with  an  affection  most  en- 
couraging to  me,  comes  to  be  a  member  of  the  High 
Church,  counting  nothing  on  a  two  miles'  journey. 
He  is  now  well  able  to  be  of  use  to  me.  I  have 
found  it  needful  to  let  out  a  little  in  a  letter,  that  I 
might  not  explode  outright.  Mention  the  matter, 
with  my  love,  to  your  coadjutor,  Mr.  Edwards,  and 
tell  any  brother  who  asks,  that  I  do  not  forget  you, 
and  that  you  should  not  forget  me.  I  expect  both 
pleasure  and  profit  out  of  this  love  for  St. 
Peter's  yet. — Yours,  William  Arnot." 


CHAPTEE    IX. 

/^VNCE  fairly  settled  in  Edinburgh,  he  soon  began 
to  feel  at  home  there,  and  to  enjoy  his  work. 
The  congregation,  whose  ranks  had  been  consider- 
ably thinned  during  the  long  vacancy,  rapidly 
increased,  till  the  church  was  completely  filled.  At 
first  he  gave  himself  exclusively  to  the  work  of  his 
own  ministry,  avoiding  all  engagements  of  a  more 
public  kind  in  Edinburgh,  though  he  occasionally 
attended  a  meeting  elsewhere.  During  the  first 
summer  he  prepared  for  the  press  his  lectures  on 
the  Parables  ;  but,  as  he  says  himself,  that  was  quite 
in  the  line  of  his  ordinary  work,  and  did  not  in  the 
least  tend  to  distract  his  mind.  A  few  months  after 
coming  to  Edinburgh,  the  family  moved  into  a  house 
in  Morningside,  which  had  been  built  for  Dr. 
Chalmers,  and  in  which  he  died.  It  stands  in  a 
garden  of  considerable  size,  and  the  possession  for 
the  first  time  of  a  garden  which  he  could  call  his 
own  was  a  great  delight  to  Mr.  Arnot,  and  seemed 
to     bring    back    with    redoubled     strength    those 

394 


chap.  ix.     BIRTH  AND  DEATH  OF  AN  INFANT.    395 

memories   of  childhood    and    youth    in    which    he 
always  revelled. 

DIARY. 

"  19th  April  1864. — I  have  deserted  this  book 
during  a  period  full  of  great  events.  We  removed 
to  Edinburgh  on  the  6th  of  October.  I  began  my 
ministry  on  Sabbath,  the  11th  of  that  month.  I 
have  been  close  and  busy  ever  since  that  date, 
with  the  exception  of  three  weeks  in  January,  dur- 
ing which  I  was  wholly  laid  aside  by  severe  in- 
flammation in  my  right  eye.  Towards  the  end  of 
January  a  daughter  was  born,  whom  we  called 
Catherine  Edina,  in  commemoration  of  our  re- 
moval to  this  place.  She  was  feeble  from  the 
first,  and  faded  away  in  the  end  of  March.  It  was 
a  gentle,  soft  sorrow.  We  committed  her  confid- 
ingly to  the  Lord  our  Redeemer.  I  am  interested 
much  in  this  feature  of  the  Lord's  providence  to 
us:  the  sparing  of  all  the  other  children,  while 
the  one  that  we  knew  least,  the  one  that  we 
scarcely  possessed,  was  taken  away. 

I  am  encouraged  in  my  work,  both  public  and 
private ;  most  of  all  in  my  intercourse  with  the 
young  communicants  this  spring." 

"  Churchhill,  12th  May  1864.— We  removed  a  fort- 
night ago  to  this  place.  Our  privileges  here  are  very 
great.  It  is  the  best  residence  we  ever  enjoyed.  We 
stand  in  awe  before  the  goodness  of  God.  I  think  I 
see  on  what  side  the  danger  presses.   My  earthly  com- 


396  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  ix. 

forts  are  so  many  and  sweet,  that  my  soul  will  cleave 
to  the  dust,  unless  I  watch  unto  prayer." 


To  his  Son  at  School. 

"  1  Chuechhill,  Edinburgh, 
12th  May  1864. 

"  My  dear  Boy, — We  were  all  happy  to  see  your 
letter.  I  shall  give  you  some  account  of  matters  at 
our  new  residence.  We  are  all  greatly  pleased  with 
it.  The  scope  for  play  out  of  doors  and  within 
our  own  walls  is  delicious ;  we  never  enjoyed  it 
before,  and  we  value  it  all  the  more  now.  We 
have  got  croquet  instruments,  and  the  ground  is 
capital  for  playing.  We  take  a  turn  or  two  of  it 
after  dinner. 

"I  must  tell  you  of  a  curious  incident  that 
happened  yesterday.  Our  neighbour  on  the  other 
side  of  the  street  keeps  a  terrier,  and  the  dog  comes 
often  over  to  visit  us  with  the  children.  Yesterday 
he  was  in  the  outhouse,  engaged  in  a  continual 
violent  barking.  I  asked  the  children  what  it 
meant.  They  said  the  dog  was  fighting  with  a 
beast ;  not  a  rat,  but  a  larger  beast,  and  would  not 
come  away.  I  went  in  and  found  him  in  a  corner, 
facing  up  and  snarling  at  a  hedgehog,  kept  at  a 
respectable  distance  by  hoggy's  sharp  bristles.  I 
ordered  him  out;  he  refused  to  obey.  I  took  a 
stick  and  gave  him  a  blow ;  he  showed  fight,  and 
made  me  stand  back,  for  I  did  not  think  it  expedient 


chap.  ix.  A  HOME  INCIDENT.  397 

to  run  the  risk  of  having  my  leg  torn  by  the  little 
wretch.  And  although  I  should  afterwards  slay 
him  in  revenge,  that  would  be  small  consolation 
for  my  bleeding  shins.  So  I  mounted  on  the  top 
of  a  barrel,  and  belaboured  doggy  with  a  long,  stout 
pole ;  he  would  not  budge.  He  seemed  to  have 
made  up  his  mind  to  die  rather  than  abandon  his 
prey.  I  gave  it  him  as  hard  as  I  thought  I  could 
venture  without  damaging  my  neighbour's  property. 
But  he  oidy  bit  the  stick,  and  suffered,  refusing  to 
move.  I  then,  like  a  wise  general,  changed  my 
tactics.  I  called  one  of  the  servants,  and  requested 
her  to  bring  me  a  bucket  of  water.  Armed  with  this 
new  weapon,  I  threw  a  hearty  wave  of  it  over  dog 
and  hedgehog  together.  All  the  terrier's  courage 
fled ;  down  went  his  tail  between  his  legs,  and  he 
beat  a  hasty  retreat  from  the  premises.  Your  eldest 
sister,  when  the  story  was  told  at  dinner,  nearly  fell 
off  her  chair  with  laughing.  Little  sister  Helen 
then  and  there  undertook  to  explain  the  case,  as 
it  had  been  told  to  her  by  a  boy  of  her  own  age, 
owner  and  master  of  the  terrier.  She  announced 
that  Robert's  dog  had  been  fighting  with  a  mush- 
room, and  that  a  mushroom  is  an  animal  very  like 
a  bear.  This  nearly  made  us  all  tumble  from  our 
seats,  mamma  included.  So  there  you  have  a  bit 
of  the  yesterday's  history  of  Churchhill.  We  all 
work  a  little  in  the  garden,  hoeing,  weeding,  etc. 
The  fruit  is  promising  Avell.  It  will  be  ripe  when 
you  come  home." 


398  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  ix. 

In  the  summer  of  1804  he  again  crossed  to  Ger- 
many for  a  tour  of  a  few  weeks,  this  time  accom- 
panied by  his  second  daughter,  whom  he  left  at 
school  in  Frankfort.  He  had  by  this  time  picked 
up,  chiefly  by  the  ear,  a  considerable  acquaintance 
with  the  German  language,  and  took  great  pleasure 
both  in  reading  and  speaking  it.  He  would  rest  for 
the  night  at  a  little  village,  which  boasted  of  a 
single  inn,  rather  than  go  on  to  a  larger  town,  that 
he  might  feel  himself  entirely  dependent  on  his  own 
knowledge  of  the  language,  and  also  see  more  of 
the  real  ways  and  habits  of  the  people.  And  he 
was  never  at  a  loss  ;  if  words  would  not  come,  signs 
were  ready,  and  he  always  managed  to  make  him- 
self understood.  The  special  interest  of  this  jour- 
ney, however,  was  a  visit  to  the  Rauhe  Haus  at 
Hamburgh,  and  a  long  interview  with  its  venerable 
founder,  Dr.  Wichern.  He  was  delighted  with  all 
he  saw  and  heard,  especially  with  the  enthusiasm 
with  which  the  good  old  doctor  expounded  his 
plans,  and  the  good  understanding  which  seemed  to 
exist  between  him  and  the  children  under  his  care. 
From  the  oldest  to  the  youngest  all  knew  and 
loved  him  ;  every  face  brightened  as  he  passed,  and 
little  ones  would  put  themselves  in  his  way  to 
obtain  a  smile  or  a  pat  on  the  head.  He  brought 
away  with  him  the  hymn  book  (Unsere  Lieder), 
which  is  not  only  used,  but  printed  and  published 
in  the  institution  ;  and,  during  the  next  two  or  three 
years,  translated  many  hymns   from   it.     When  his 


chap.  ix.         LETTER  TO  HIS  DA  UGHTER.  399 

daughter  returned,  after  a  winter's  residence  in 
Frankfort,  she  was  able  to  read  along  with  him, 
and  even  to  assist  him  occasionally  in  getting  at 
the  exact  meaning  of  a  difficult  passage  ;  and  many 
leisure  hours  were  spent  in  this  way.  Sabbath 
evening,  or  Monday  forenoon,  when  he  was  wearied 
and  unfit  for  harder  study,  were  generally  the  times 
chosen  for  such  occupations. 

To  his  Daughter. 

"IstJany.  1866. 

"Meine  geliebte  Tochter, — 

"  .  .  .  .  Aber — I  cannot  write  with  current 
pen  in  that  ere  tongue.  I  have  done  many  transla- 
tions from  Unsere  Lieder  since  I  saw  you,  which  I 
shall  show  you  with  much  pleasure  when  you  return, 
as  I  lack  here  sympathising  spirits  that  are  capable 
of  appreciating  literary  talent.1     .... 

"I  had  an  evening  sermon  in  the  church  last 
night,  with  a  great  black  audience  of  men.  Survey 
of  the  world  on  the  old  St.  Peter's  principle. 
'  Watchman,  what  of  the  night  % ' 

"  I  shall,  instead  of  writing  more  news,  transcribe 
for  aunt  Mary  one  of  my  translations.  Jeannie 
discovered,  after  it  was  done,  a  translation  of  the 
same  hymn,  with  music,  in  Service  of  Praise,  begin- 
ning, ;  To  the  sky,'  so  you  can  find  the  music  for  it 
if  you  like.  It  is  a  bright,  high-toned,  jubilant  sort 
of  strain — 

1  At  that  time  no  other  member  of  his  family  understood  German. 


400  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.  chap.  ix. 

"  Set  me  free  !  set  me  free  ! 

That  my  Saviour  I  may  see ; 
For  my  weary  spirit  longeth 
Straight  to  join  the  crowd  that  throngeth 

Round  Him  on  yon  glassy  sea. 

"  Sweetest  light  !  sweetest  light ! 

Through  the  dark  clouds  shining  bright ; 
When  shall  life's  bonds  burst  asunder, 
That,  with  all  the  holy  yonder, 

I  may  stand  before  thy  sight  ? 

"  Ravishing !  ravishing  ! 

Are  the  praises  angels  sing  ! 
Over  hills  and  valleys  soaring. 
Had  I  wings,  I'd  stand  adoring, 

There  this  night  our  common  King. 

"  What  surprise  !  what  surprise  ! 

Waits  in  Zion  my  opening  eyes  ; 
City  this  that  hath  foundations, 
Blessed  home  of  ransomed  nations  ; 

There  even  now  my  treasure  lies. 

"  Paradise  !  Paradise  ! 

What  an  ecstacy  is  this  ! 
Trees  of  life  in  glory  gleaming, — 
Heaven  indeed,  and  not  a  dreaming. 

Bring  us,  Lord,  to  Paradise. 

On  a  visit  to  Berlin,  some  years  later,  he  made 
the  acquaintance  of  Herr  Pastor  Knak,  the  author 
of  the  above  hymn,  and  found  him  an  old  man, 
with  all  the  freshness  and  enthusiasm  of  youth, 
whose  mind  habitually  dwelt  more  on  heavenly  than 
on  earthly  things.  Their  intercourse  was  much 
hindered  by  the  imperfect  knowledge  which  each 
possessed  of  the  other's  language ;  still  they  found 
many  points  of  contact,  and  parted  more  as  old 
friends  than  as  acquaintances  of  a  few  days. 


chap.  ix.    TRANSLATIONS  FROM  THE  GERMAN.   401 

We  may  give  here  one  or  two  more  of  the 
translations  done  at  this  time,  the  first  being 
the  introduction  to  the  collection  from  which  they 
are  taken. 

"  Once  in  the  German  countries  folk  were  so  rich  in  song, 
That  heart-warm  music  greeted  you  where'er  you  passed  along  ; 
In  song  they  wept,  in  song  they  cried,  to  God  on  high  who  saves, 
At  marriages  they  sang  in  choir,  and  by  their  open  graves. 
The  country  man  behind  his  plough,  the  shepherd  on  the  lea, 
The  maiden  at  her  spinning-wheel,  sang  all  right  merrily. 
When  little  children  played,  the  ring  to  tiny  music  ran, 
And  stronger,  louder  notes  arose  from  every  labouring  man. 
By  whom  the  music  was  composed,  no  one  could  understand  ; 
It  sprang  like  blossoms  from  the  earth,  and  passed  from  hand  to 

hand, 
Till  on  a  dark  night  lately,  a  robber,  shrewd  and  deft 
Forth  from  the  people's  hearts  and  lips  their  sweet  song-treasures 

reft, 
Leaving  instead  mere  cunning,  with  envy  gaunt  combined, 
And  wild  fantastic  murmurings  within  an  empty  mind. 
The  people  have  been  poisoned,  the  venom's  in  their  veins, 
Their  hearts  are  stunned,  their  lips  are  mute,  they  faint  beneath 

their  pains. 
Oh  Lord  !  to  Thee  melodious  sounds  the  motion  of  the  spheres, 
The  grasshopper  and  cricket  make  sweet  music  in  Thine  ears. 
Think,  then,  on  a  bewitched  race  throughout  our  Fatherland, 
And  break  the  ban  from  off  their  hearts  by  Thine  almighty  hand. 
In  song  all  being  jubilant  before  Thee,  Lord,  rejoice, 
In  song  let  all  the  Fatherland  again  lift  up  its  voice  ! 
Give  us  again  our  psalms,  with  their  spirit-stirring  glow — 
Psalms  which  the  devil  can't  abide — psalms  work  the  devil  woe !  " 

The  next  is  one  of  the  national  songs,  many  of 
which  are  included  in  a  section  of  the  collection 
alluded  to.  The  last,  like  the  first,  is  more  strictly 
what  we  would  call  a  hymn,  though  the  Germans 
call  all  by  the  one  name, — Lieder,  distinguishing 
them  by  adjectives  prefixed. 
2  C 


402  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  ix. 

"Sat  a  hand  of  German  Princes, 

Once  at  Worms,  in  Caesar's  Hall, 
Counting  wealth  and  suhjects,  praising 
Each  his  own  land  over  all. 

"Proudly  spake  the  Prince  of  Sachsen  : 
My  dominion  and  its  worth  ! 
"Why,  the  mountains  teem  with  silver, 
I  draw  treasures  from  the  earth. 

"  See  my  land's  exub'rant  richness, 
Said  the  Ruler  of  the  Rhine  : 
Golden  harvests  in  her  valleys, 

On  her  hill-slopes  luscious  wine.      • 

"  Pop'lous  cities,  well-stored  cloisters, 

Ludwig,  Lord  of  Baiern  cries  ; 
For  my  country  over  others, 

Justly  claim  the  foremost  prize. 

"  Up  spake  Everard,  the  bearded, 

Wertenberg's  loved  chieftain  then. : 
My  land  owns  not  mines  nor  cities, 
Charged  with  myriads  of  men  ; 

"Yet  it  holds  a  hidden  jewel, 

This, — that  whereso'er  I  tread, 
On  the  breast  of  every  subject, 
I  can  safely  lay  my  head. 

"  Then  confessed  the  Lord  of  Sachsen, 
Lord  of  Baiern,  Lord  of  Rhine  : 
Bearded  count,  thou  art  the  richest ; 
Ours  is  dross,  the  gem  is  thine. " 


"  Rise  up,  yea,  rise  again  thou  must, 
After  a  little  rest,  my  dust  : 

Thee  God,  thy  Maker  gives, 
Life  that  forever  lives. 
Hallelujah  ! 


LETTER  TO  AN  OLD  FRIEND.  403 

"  To  spring  again  in  earth  I'm  sown, 
And  when  the  wide-spread  harvest's  grown, 
.   The  Master,  wise  and  kind, 
Leaves  not  one  sheep  behind. 
Glory  to  God ! 

"  Best  day,  day  of  supreme  delight, 
My  Lord's  own  day  :  when,  through  the  night, 
By  my  Redeemer  kept, 
I've  safely,  sweetly  slept, 

Thou' It  waken  me. 

"  As  those  that  dream  we'll  be  ;  for  so, 
Ransomed  together  we  shall  go 
With  Jesus  into  peace, 
Where  shall  for  ever  cease, 

The  pilgrim's  woe. 

"  The  Christ,  the  mighty  days-man  then 
Shall  bring  me  close  to  God  again, 
There  reconciled,  at  rest, 
I'll  dwell  among  the  blest, 

Beholding  Him." 


To  Rev.  Mr.  Munro,  of  Rutherglen. 

"Edinburgh,  4th  May  1865. 

"My  dear  Brother  Munro, — Out  of  sight,  not 
altogether  out  of  mind !  I  set  up  before  my  face 
at  this  moment  a  brother  with  his  hair  not  very 
short,  and  his  cheeks  not  very  ruddy,  but  with  a 
twinkle  in  his  eye  still,  indicating  that  hope  burns 
in  his  heart.  His  hand  well  up  now  and  then, 
when  he  has  got  something  that  needs  to  be  said 
— and  sundry  other  features,  too  numerous  to  be 
mentioned. 


404  MEMOIR  OF  REV.  W.  ARNOT.        chap.  ix. 

"  Well,  to  the  business.  1  have  bethought  me  of 
sending  you  my  last  book,  by  way  of  brotherly 
remembrance.  I  have  much  enjoyed  the  work — 
all  in  the  line  of  my  ministry,  except  a  few 
critical  points,  and  the  introduction.  It  has  been 
well  received,  and  I  am  not  without  hope  that  it 
may  be  useful  perhaps  a  little  longer  than  its 
author.  Jt  is  a  privilege  to  bear  a  hand  in  any 
department,  especially  in  magnifying  the  very 
words  of  the  Lord. 

"Come  you  to  Edinburgh  at  the  Assembly!  I 
would  like  to  see  your  head  in  my  pulpit  here. 
If  you  can  be  in  Edinburgh,  give  me  a  diet  on 
Sabbath,  21st  May.  Failing  that,  you  must  keep 
watch,  and  let  me  know  when  you  could  be  in 
these  parts.  I  live  in  Dr.  Chalmers'  house ;  when 
you  come  to  visit  me,  you  will  see  his  study  and 
the  room  he  died  in — his  books,  desk,  etc.,  all  stand- 
ing as  they  were. 

"  I  get  the  good  of  change ;  do  as  much  work 
both  of  study  and  the  activities,  but  with  less 
oppression ;  and  even  change  of  air  and  scene  is 
a  relief.  I  am  happy  in  Edinburgh,  and  yet  I  have 
not  lost  any  interest  in  Glasgow.  Open  door,  and 
work  not  unhopeful.     Love  to  Mrs.  Munro. — Yours, 

W.  Arnot." 

DIARY. 

"4th  May  18G5. — I  have  brought  forth  the  book 
to  read  rather  than  to  wiite,  but  let  a  note  or  two 


chap.  ix.  WORK  ON  THE  PARABLES.  405 

go  down — stepping  stones  of  my  history.  Book 
on  Parables  well  received, — comfortable  hope  that 
the  work  is  not  in  vain.  Yesterday  an  application 
reached  me  from  Mr.  Trail,  Free  Church  minister 
of  Boyndie,  residing  at  Bristol  at  present,  on  be- 
half of  a  Christian  lady  interested  in  the  Highlands, 
for  permission  to  print  as  a  fly-leaf,  and  also  trans- 
late into  Gaelic,  the  parable  by  the  Red  Indian, 
about  the  worm  and  the  fire.  Of  course  I  gladly 
consent.  It  is  interesting  to  me,  that  while  I 
inserted  it  from  memory,  an  old  memory — probably 
heard  it  from  Robert  Kettle  when  I  was  a  student — 
and  inserted  it  directly  for  a  literary  object — speci- 
men of  a  species  of  parable — in  the  introduction,  it 
should  be  selected  by  an  evangelistic  Christian  for 
he  substantial  spiritual  lesson  that  it  conveys. 

"  For  about  two  months  I  have  introduced  a 
second  prayer  into  the  public  worship,  immediately 
before  the  sermon,  making  it  bear  always  on  the 
children  in  some  aspect ;  and  I  believe  both  the 
congregation  and  myself  profit  by  it.  Also,  for 
several  months  I  have  devoted  the  sermon  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  first  Sabbath  of  the  month  specifi- 
cally to  the  young.  At  the  beginning  of  last  month 
it  was  previously  intimated,  and  the  congregation 
was  sensibly  larger  than  usual.  I  take  this  as 
an  encouraging  symptom,  and  shall  endeavour  to 
persevere. 

"  Very  few  applied  as  young  communicants. 
Some  very  hopeful  cases,  however,  among  the  few. 


406  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.        chap.  ix. 

At  the  close  of  the  communion  last  Sabbath,  I  made 
a  more  pointed  address  than  usual  to  those  who, 
being  of  full  age,  delay  to  come,  not  only  to  the 
Lord's  table,  but  to  the  Lord.  If  I  am  spared 
till  another  communion,  I  shall  watch  for  fruit." 

The  prayer  for  the  children  was  thoroughly 
appreciated  by  his  congregation,  and  is  now,  to 
many,  one  of  the  most  tender  memories  of  his 
ministry.  Though  now  for  the  first  time  putting 
it  by  itself,  and  giving  it  a  more  prominent  place, 
it  was  not  at  this  late  hour  that  he  began  to 
remember  the  children  in  his  public  prayers.  Long 
before  this,  it  was  his  constant  habit  to  ask  a  bless- 
ing for  "the  little  ones  left  at  home,  and  those  in 
charge  of  them." 

"  14th  May. — The  Assembly  begins  on  Thursday, 
this  week.     I   am   a  member,  and  hope  to   attend 

diligently The    subject     of    additional 

hymns  for  public  worship  is  attracting  much  atten- 
tion at  present.  I  greatly  desire  to  get  liberty  and 
enlargement  on  this  side ;  and  I  hope  it  will  be 
attained  soon." 

He  was  greatly  interested  in  the  revision  of  the 
paraphrases,  and  tried  himself  to  make  new  versions 
of  several.  The  following  specimens  will  show  with 
what  success. 


chap.  ix.  PARAPHRASES.  407 

Paba.  xxxiv. — Matt.  xi.  25th  to  the  end. 

"  I  thank  Thee,  Father,  Jesus  said, 

The  Lord  of  earth  and  heaven — 
That  knowledge,  hid  from  wise  men,  Thou 

To  little  ones  hast  given. 
So  be  it,  oh,  my  Father  !  still, 
As  ordered  by  Thy  sovereign  will. 

"All  that  He  hath  and  is,  on  me 

My  Father  hath  bestowed  ; 
And  none  can  fully  know  the  Son 

Except  the  Father,  God. 
None  knows  the  Father  save  the  Son 
And  they  who  with  the  Son  are  one.' 

"  Come  hither,  ye  who  labour,  lay 
Your  burden  on  my  breast ; 
Come,  heavy-laden,  unto  me, 

And  I  will  give  you  rest. 
Take  up  the  yoke  which  I  assign, 
And  let  your  footsteps  follow  mine. 

"  Come,  fear  not ;  you  will  find  in  me 

A  meek  and  lowly  heart ; 
And  to  your  weary  souls  my  grace 

Shall  blessed  rest  impart. 
Come,  for  my  yoke  is  easy  ;  come, 
My  burden  is  not  burdensome." 


Para  xli. — John  iii.  14-17. 

"  As  Moses  the  serpent  erected  on  high, 

That  Israelites  wounded  might  live,  and  not  die  ; 

So  Jesus  was  raised  a  ransom  to  give, 

That  sinners,  believing,  might  see  Him  and  live. 

"  Jehovah  so  loved  a  lost  world,  that  He  gave 
His  only-begotten  Son,  sinners  to  save  ; 
That  whoso  believeth  on  Him  might  obtain 
In  life  everlasting,  unspeakable  gain. 

"  For,  not  to  condemn,  but  to  save  a  lost  race, 
Did  God  send  His  Son,  the  best  gift  of  His  grace  ; 
Through  Him — the  new  way  all  the  saved  have  trod- 
A  prodigal  world  may  return  unto  God." 


408  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.        chap.  ix. 

Ou  another  subject,  which  for  many  years  occupied 
much  of  the  time  and  attention  of  successive  Assem- 
blies— that  of  union  with  other  churches — Mr.  Arnot 
felt,  and  was  wont  when  he  had  opportunity,  to 
express  himself,  strongly.  None  grieved  more  deeply 
than  he  over  the  dissensions  and  heart-burnings,  the 
cooling  of  friendships,  and  the  strife  among  brethren 
which  its  discussions  caused;  but  being  convinced 
that  the  end  aimed  at  was  not  merely  a  thing  per- 
missible, but  a  clear  and  sacred  duty,  he  would 
not  listen  to  the  arguments  of  those  who  were  in- 
clined to  yield  for  the  sake  of  peace.  His  nature 
was  peace-loving,  controversy  of  any  kind  was  a 
positive  pain  to  him  ;  but,  when  he  believed  that  duty 
demanded  it,  he  would  throw  himself  into  it  with  all 
the  talent  and  eloquence  at  his  command — would 
speak  his  mind  clearly  and  unhesitatingly,  without 
thought  of  the  consequences.  "  As  much  as  lieth  in 
you,  live  peaceably  with  all  men,"  was  a  precept  he 
obeyed  if  ever  a  man  did ;  but  "  first  pure,  then 
peaceable,"  was  a  text  much  oftener  on  his  lips. 
The  ultimate  failure  of  the  negotiations  was  a  deep 
disappointment  to  him. 

DIARY. 

"30th  July  1805. — This  is  a  difficult  and  impor- 
tant subject.1  My  private  judgment  has  always 
been  clear  upon  it.     There  may  be  in  some,  in  many 

1  Speaking  of  a  friend  who  had  consulted  him  as  to  changing  his  place 
of  worship. 


chap.  ix.  DEA  THS.  409 

church-goers,  too  light  a  disposition  in  regard  to 
change.  Those  that  have  not  a  deep  hold  of  the 
truth,  may  flit  about  all  too  easily  from  church  to 
church  ;  but  I  think  that  earnest  Christians  often 
allow  the  bond  to  a  particular  congregation  to  grow 
too  strong.  Not  lightly,  but  prayerfully  and  cau- 
tiously, should  a  change  be  made  ;  but  my  judgment 
is,  that  when  a  Christian  man  has  made  up  his  mind, 
either  directly  with  a  view  to  himself,  or  indirectly 
with  a  view  to  his  children,  that  another  ministry 
within  reach  would  be  more  suitable,  he  ought  to 
change.  To  refuse  is  to  undervalue  that  peculiar 
goodness  of  the  Lord,  which  lies  in  giving  diver- 
sity of  gifts  in  the  ministry.  This  principle,  of 
course,  holds  equally,  whether  its  application  take  a 
family  away  from  my  ministry  or  bring  one  to  it. 
But  when  it  promises  to  take  one  away  from  the 
ministry  of  a  brother  and  bring  him  to  mine,  there 
are  many  tender  places  which  may  very  readily  be 
hurt  in  the  process." 

"  17th  September  1865. — A  member  of  the  congre- 
gation, father  of  three  children,  died  on  Tuesday, 
5th  curt.,  in  good  hope.  John  Maitland  died  about 
the  same  time — an  eminent  Christian  citizen,  a  per- 
sonal friend,  whom  I  esteemed  and  loved.  Since 
that  time,  only  three  days  ago,  died  suddenly  his 
brother-in-law,  John  G.  Wood,  also  an  eminent 
Christian  citizen  and  a  personal  friend.  Help,  Lord, 
for  the  godly  man  ceaseth ! " 

"  30th   November. — Have    visited,  since  the  Com- 


410  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.        chap.  ix. 

munion  in  October,  twelve  of  the  eighteen  districts. 
Have  felt  the  fatigue  less  than  usual ;  liked  the 
work  much,  and  obtained  many  opportunities  of 
depositing  a  good  seed  of  the  Word.     .     .     . 

"  I  have  undertaken  to  give  a  series,  six  or  more, 
during  the  ensuing  year,  in  the  Family  Treasury, 
entitled  '  The  Lesser  Parables  of  our  Lord' — mean- 
ing by  that  expression  the  brief  analogies  that 
abound  in  His  discourses,  such  as  '  Ye  are  the  light 
of  the  world,'  '  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,'  &c. 

"  1st  Dec.  1865. — it  is  now  more  than  two  years 
since  I  settled  in  Edinburgh.  I  greatly  enjoyed  it 
as  a  residence  from  the  first ;  and  gradually  I  have 
fallen  into  my  work,  so  that  I  am  as  much  at  home 
in  it  now  as  I  was  at  Glasgow.     .     .     . 

"  When  we  proposed,  about  a  year  ago,  to  pierce  a 
window  through  into  the  quadrangle  of  the  College, 
in  order  to  admit  light  into  the  darkest  part  of  the 
High  Church,  under  the  gallery,  the  authorities  of 
the  College  with  one  consent  opposed.  Having  the 
power  in  our  own  hands  we  treated  them  gently, 
and  delayed  a  little  ;  but  quietly  determined  to  take 
our  own  way.  Lately,  the  deed  was  done,  and  with 
manifest  success.  It  gave  us  light  in  the  church, 
and  harmonized  perfectly  with  the  architecture  of 
the  quadrangle.  The  first  time  I  met  Dr.  Candlish, 
after  the  window  was  opened,  he  ran  up  to  me, 
clapped  me  on  the  shoulder,  and  said,  '  I  have  come 
to  read  my  recantation.  The  window  does  you 
much    good   and  does  us  no  harm.'     He  spoke  as 


chap.  ix.  WORK  IN  EDINBURGH.  411 

Principal  representing  the  interests  of  the  College, 
and  frankly  confessed  that  his  fears  had  been  un- 
founded. Such  generosity  is  a  characteristic  of  Dr. 
Candlish.     It  is  beautiful  and  good." 

"  1st  Jan.  1866. — Hitherto !  Bless  the  Lord,  oh  my 
soul  I  All  the  family  in  good  health.  My  sister, 
also  well,  is  with  us  on  a  visit.  Whole  work  proceed- 
ing hopefully.  I  gave  a  Sabbath  last  month,  Dec. 
17th,  in  Glasgow,  in  Mr.  Howie's  church,  and  was 
much  interested  in  the  progress  of  mission  work  in 
the  eastern  districts  of  the  city.  I  have,  of  late,  de- 
clined many  pressing  invitations  to  help  brethren  in 
various  parts  of  England  and  Scotland.  It  is  always 
painful  to  refuse  ;  yet  hitherto  I  have  persuaded  my- 
self that  my  first  duty  is  to  remain  very  close  at  home, 
at  least  until  the  congregation  be  well  consolidated. 
This,  however,  may  be  carried  too  far  and  too  long. 
I  must  watch,  lest  I  contract  ungenerous  habits." 

"  15th  March. — During  the  winter  I  have  not  read 
much.  The  study  for  Sabbath  and  the  active  work  of 
the  week  occupy  me  fully.  But  by  giving  more  time 
to  the  preparation  for  Sabbath  ministry,  and  also  using 
the  studies  of  former  years,  I  believe  my  sermons  and 
lectures  are  far  better  than  they  were  in  Glasgow." 

"31st  Dec.  1866. — Again  I  open  this  book  with  a 
heavy  heart.  Yesterday  afternoon  my  sister  passed 
gently,  suddenly  away.  She  has  been  with  us  since 
the  lUth  ;  was  well  and  vigorous.  Complained  on 
Saturday  night  of  pain  in  chest.  We  all  believed  it 
was  caused  by  indigestion.     Ill  more  or  less  all  d;iy 


412  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  ix. 

yesterday ;  but  skin  cool  and  pulse  steady.  About 
half-past  five  my  eldest  daughter  went  up  with  tea 
for  her,  about  five  minutes  after  the  servant  had 
been  in  righting  her  pillows,  and  undertaking  to 
sleep  in  her  room  all  night.  She  thought  her  aunt 
was  asleep,  and  sat  down  by  the  fire,  making  no 
noise  for  fear  of  disturbing  her.  Thinking  she  was 
waiting  long,  about  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  I  went 
up.  By  this  time  she  was  at  the  bedside  feeling 
her  aunt's  hands  and  growing  uneasy,  but  the  light 
was  dim,  and  the  reality  had  not  even  suggested 
itself  to  her  mind.  When  I  approached  and  saw  her 
position,  I  saw  instantly  that  life  was  extinct. 

"  I  am  sad  and  desolate.  She  was,  practically,  all 
the  mother  I  ever  had.  Now  there  is  no  one  over 
me  on  earth.  There  is  no  one  who  knew  me  when  I 
was  a  child.  Oh,  how  lonely  the  world  seems  to  one 
who  is  the  last  of  his  generation. 

"  My  sister,  like  my  father,  was  very  reserved;  but 
I  have  long  considered  her  a  disciple  of  Christ.  I 
believe  she  was  one  of  the  little  ones ;  very  safe, 
though  not  very  strong." 

In  1807,  the  Free  Church  for  the  first  time  sent  a 
deputation  to  represent  them  at  the  Assembly  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States.  Dr. 
Guthrie,  Principal  Fairbairn,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wells, 
Glasgow,  were  the  three  appointed  for  this  mission. 
Immediately  on  starting,  however,  Dr.  Guthrie  found 
that   his   health    would  not  stand  the  sea  voyage, 


chap.  ix.         INVITA  TION  TO  MONTREAL.  413 

and  he  accordingly  left  the  ship  at  Queenstown  and 
returned  home.  Mr.  Arnot  was  then  requested  to 
take  his  place  in  the  deputation,  and  was  much 
inclined  to  go,  the  more  so  that  he  was  already  con- 
sidering an  invitation  to  attend  a  Christian  Conven- 
tion at  Montreal.  But  the  time  was  short  and  the 
difficulties  many,  and  he  failed  to  get  away  at  this 
time.  The  following  letter  announces  his  decision 
to  one  of  his  old  friends  in  Montreal. 

To  Mr.  DoUGALL,  Editor  of  the  Montreal  Witness. 

"  Edinburgh,  April  22d,  1867. 
"  My  DEAR  Sir. — After  many  ups  and  downs,  the 
matter  has  been  decided  in  the  negative,  at  least  for 
this  season.  While  I  was  still  considering  the  invita- 
tion from  your  Convention  at  Montreal,  an  appeal 
was  suddenly  made  for  a  volunteer  to  take  the 
vacant  place  of  Dr.  Guthrie  in  the  deputation  of  our 
own  church  to  the  States.  On  one  side  this  seemed 
to  throw  a  great  weight  into  the  positive  scale ; 
there  was  the  enticing  opportunity  of  doing  both 
works  in  one  journey.  But,  in  another  view,  this 
invitation  increased  the  difficulty.  It  would  have 
been  necessary  to  leave  home  at  latest  on  the  1st  of 
May,  and  I  could  not  count  on  being  home  till  near 
the  end  of  July.  At  that  date  society  in  Edinburgh 
dissolves  into  holiday  for  two  months.  It  would 
thus  have  involved  a  separation  between  me  and  a 
large  part  of  my  congregation  of  five  months'  dura- 
tion.    I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  accept  the  nomina- 


414  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  ix. 

tion  from  our  own  church,  and  also  to  accept  your 
invitation,  but  it  was  with  difficulty,  and  against 
almost  equal  reasons  on  the  other  side.  When, 
therefore,  a  remonstrance  reached  me  from  the 
elders  and  deacons  of  my  own  congregation,  that,  in 
their  judgment,  the  congregation  had  not  been  so 
long  consolidated  as  to  bear  without  injury  a  pro- 
tracted absence,  I  was  not  able  to  make  a  fight  for 
it,  so  I  yielded.  On  one  side  it  is  a  relief  from  the 
twenty  days'  of  sea,  and  some  hard  work  on  the 
shore ;  but,  on  the  other  side,  it  is  quite  a  disap- 
pointment that  I  have  not  obtained  the  privilege  of 
meeting  so  many  Christian  brethren,  and  contribut- 
ing what  might  lie  in  me  to  produce  and  maintain  a 
thorough  brotherly  love  between  the  Christians  of 
the  States  and  ourselves,  and  to  produce  and  main- 
tain sentiments  of  peace  and  goodwill  between  the 
two  nations. 

"As  to  quantity  of  gift  for  that  or  any  other 
cause,  alas !  how  little  I  can  bring.  But  as  to  my 
own  sentiments,  nobody  could  be  better  fitted  as  a 
deputy  to  the  North  than  myself.  I  am  not  in  the 
position  of  siding  with  the  winner  after  he  has  won. 
I  was  a  fast  friend  of  the  North,  in  public  and 
private,  throughout  their  darkest  days. 

'*  It  is  with  a  species  of  sadness  that  I  find  myself 
writing  that  I  shall  not  be  with  you.  I  have  not 
been  counted  worthy  of  this  honour  and  this  work. 
I  feel  as  one  of  those  poor  soldiers  who  abide  by  the 
staff,  while  the  army  goes  to  the  high  places  of  the 


chap.  ix.  THE  PARIS  EXHIBITION.  415 

field.      I  believe  no  further  attempt  will  be  made  on 

ourpaitto  send  a  deputy  in  place  of  Dr.  Guthrie; 

we  must  be  content  with  having  sent  two. 

"  Love  to  all. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

The  next  letters  give  some  notes  of  a  fortnight's 
work  abroad,  at  the  Paris  Exhibition,  and  at  Baden. 

At  the  latter  place  he  was  in  the  employment  of 
the  Free  Church  Continental  Committee,  but  his 
work  in  Paris  was  under  the  auspices  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Alliance,  who  had  erected  a  chapel  for  daily 
services  within  the  grounds  of  the  International 
Exhibition. 

"Paris,  28th  August  1867 
" .  .  .  .  Arrived  here  and  got  tea.  Baptist 
Noel  is  my  predecessor.  He  is  here  to-night, 
but  leaves  to-morrow  morning.  I  have  had  a 
chat  with  him  to-night.  He  gives  me  no  flat- 
tering account  of  the  work  in  our  department. 
Still,  he  says  it  was  right  to  do  it  —to  bear  a 
certain  testimony  by  doing  it.  The  obstructions 
and  difficulties  are  very  many ;  many  of  them 
peculiar  to  the  Salle  Evangelique,  as  being  within 
the  precincts  of  the  Exposition.  You  must  pay 
your  franc  before  you  reach  it.  Those  who  pay  the 
franc  don't  come  for  the  preaching,  and  those  who 
want  preaching,  get  it  nearer  their  several  lodgings 
without  paying  the  franc.  I  was  not  aware  of  these 
circumstances  against  the  place  of  the  Alliance  when 


416  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  ix. 

I  preferred  it  to  the  Free  Church  one.  There  is  a 
coming  and  going,  too,  which,  he  tells  me,  is  very 
adverse.  All  is  difficulty,  but  I  am  warned,  and 
shall  endeavour  to  accommodate " 

"  Thursday  Evening,  8  p.m. 

"Have  returned  from  the  Exposition,  and  taken 
my  solitary  cup  of  tea  with  great  comfort  and 
quiet 

"  First,  our  meetings — one  at  12  noon — a  little 
flock  of  English,  with  sprinklings  of  French ;  some 
remaining  all  the  time,  some  coming  and  going. 
The  young  man — Independent  student,  born  in  the 
Mauritius,  who  is  permanent  charge  cC  affaires  for  the 
Alliance  here — speaks  a  little  to  the  French  people, 
and  then  I  begin  the  English.  I  am  not  sure  of  the 
wisdom  of  this  ;  I  rather  think  it  would  be  better  to 
give  English  at  its  own  time,  and  simply  intimate  to 
the  French  who  stumble  in,  when  their  time  will  be. 
No  less  than  four  Englishmen  voluntarily,  on  invita- 
tion, took  part  in  the  meeting — quite  like  a  meeting 
at  home. 

"  Evening  at  six.  It  is  left  to  the  minister,  and 
we  had  a  considerable  number.  Many  of  them 
seemed  to  be  French  or  German,  who  knew  a  little 
of  English  and  liked  to  hear  it.  I  endeavoured  to 
accommodate,  speaking  slow,  and  in  a  measured 
manner,  as  I  like  foreigners  to  speak  to  me.  I 
hope  to  have  courage  and  perseverance  to  hold  on, 
now  that  I  am  here,  at  least  till  well  over  Sabbath. 


STUDYING  EGYPT.  417 


"  I  walked  about  the  greater  part  of  the  day  in 
the  Exposition. 

"  The  thing  that  most  interested  me  to-day  was  a 
full  and  beautiful  model  of  the  Suez  Canal,  and  also 
a  panorama  of  it,  with  a  lecture  in  that  loathsome 
language,  not  one  word  of  which  did  I  catch ;  but  I 
made  a  thorough  examination  of  the  plan.  The 
model  showed  Suez  and  Cairo  and  the  railroad. 
There  was  another  immense  model  at  another  place 
of  the  whole  of  Egypt.  It  is  an  exquisite  thing, 
and  goes  far  to  vivify  and  rectify  your  ideas  of 
that  singular  country.  Egypt  was  my  chief  study 
to-day." 

To  Mrs.  Arnot. 

"Pabis,  2d  Sept.  1867. 

"  DEAREST, — Monday  morning — all  well ;  Satur- 
day morning  a  heavy  shower,  but  immediately 
bright  again.  Very  hot  yesterday.  I  went  to 
the  Tait-bout  at  10.30,  and  remained  till  almost 
the  close  of  the  service,  Mr.  Eraser  preached; 
and  the  congregation  considerable — a  very  manful 
congregation.  The  psalm  was  just  begun  when  I 
arrived,  and  so  I  never  got  word  of  Mr.  Fraser. 
I  shall  probably  meet  him  in  the  Exhibition. 

"  Our  own  service  was  maintained  as  usual. 
After  we  got  the  French  away,  and  the  door 
shut,  we  had  a  thoroughly  attentive,  though  very 
small  audience.  The  business  comes  quite  natural 
to  me.  T  fall  in  with  the  circumstances.  In  the 
i  i) 


418  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  ix. 

evening  there  was  quite  a  crowd  of  French  press- 
ing around  the  door  while  we  were  singing,  before 
beginning  to  preach.  I  let  off  an  extemporaneous 
speech  in  French  to  the  French  people — amounting, 
however,  to  no  more  than  an  intimation  that  this 
is  the  English  service,  and  that  the  French  service 
will  be  at  seven. 

"  Home  is  sweet  from  here ;  but  there  is  nothing 
painful  in  its  sweetness.  I  think  the  definite  en- 
gagements, and  something  to  do,  go  far  to  make 
me  steady  and  content." 

To  Mrs.  Arnot. 

u  Baden,  Saturday,  7th  September  1867. 

"Dearest, — All  well  hitherto.  When  I  posted  my 
letter  yesterday,  my  prevailing  judgment  was  not  to 
attempt  to  preach  here.  I  continued  to  be  of  that 
opinion  all  the  day.  It  was  this  morning  when  I 
awoke  that  my  mind  changed.  I  awoke  of  another 
mind.  I  need  not  detail  the  circumstances ;  but 
altogether  I  was  very  happy.  I  had  much  medi- 
tated on  the  extreme  need  of  this  place — on  the 
smallness  of  my  faith  individually,  and  the  Church's 
faith  collectively.  I  thought  of  Paul's  heart  burn- 
ing within  him  when  he  saw  Athens  mad  on  her 
idols ;  I  thought  my  heart  burned  like  his ;  but 
then  not  like  his  ;  for  he  threw  himself  upon  them 
in  the  public  square,  regardless  of  polizei  and  com- 
missariat—  and  got  imprisoned  therefor.  This  I 
had  not  courage  to  do,  although   there  are  plenty 


chap.  ix.  SERVICES  IN  BADEN.  419 

of  beautiful  places  under  shade  of  trees  where 
they  congregate,  and  where  I  might  reach  at  least 
the  English  portion  of  the  crowd.  I  could  not,  and 
the  public  opinion  of  Christians — even  true  Chris- 
tians— would  not  sustain  me  although  I  should. 

"  But  to  resume  the  narrative :  After  fully  re- 
solving to  try  on  Sabbath  evening,  in  spite  of 
inconvenient  hour,  and  dread  of  a  cloudy  after- 
noon, and  dread  of  entire  want  of  psalms,  I 
continued  ruminating,  and  soon  struck  off  a  new 
idea — why  should  I  not  preach  on  Monday  at  a 
convenient  hour  %  The  English  and  American  here 
are  as  idle  on  Monday  as  on  Sunday,  and  they  may 
come,  if  -they  like — possibly  some  of  them  would. 
This  plan  greatly  cheered  me.  I  got  up — wrote 
in  my  room  an  hour  and  a  half — breakfasted,  and 
sallied  forth  to  business.  Consulted  first  Herr 
Grossholz — he  approves ;  next  found  out  Dr.  Wil- 
helme,  the  Protestant  elder — he  approves.  Monday 
being  the  Grand  Duke's  birthday,  the  Germans  have 
worship  in  the  morning  at  9.30,  but  mine  can  be  at 
11.30 — quite  suitable.  Next  to  the  Buch  druckerei, 
and  get  all  arrangements  made  for  bills  for  hotels 
and  advertisement  in  the  Baden  Blatt — daily  paper 
— published  at  noon  ;  advertisement  of  my  meeting 
will  be  in  it  to-day — both  Sabbath's  and  Monday's 
meeting.  On  account  of  Duke's  birthday,  a  grand 
fire-work  to-morrow  evening  by  a  skilful  French- 
man ;  but  as  it  cannot  begin  till  dark,  it  cannot 
directly  compete  with  me. 


420  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  ix. 

"  Next  to  the  beadle  of  the  church — all  right  with 
him.  Last  to  Freshen*  von  Goler  (Scottice  Gowler) 
Grossherzoger  Stadtdirector.  He  very  polite,  and 
alles  recht  there  too.  Hitherto  I  have  met  no  human 
being  who  knows  me,  or  whom  I  know.  I  get 
directions  from  my  landlord  as  to  places  and  names. 
He  speaks  grandly  for  my  purpose;  I  understand 
him  right  off,  and  never  fail  to  find  my  place  or  my 
man  !  Indeed,  I  could  find  a  place  in  a  strange  city 
by  that  man's  deutsch  better  than  by  the  English 
of  many  people.  He  seizes  the  leading  features,  and 
cracks  them  sharp  off  in  a  memorable  word.  Do 
you  know,  a  great  deal  of  talent  or  lack  of  talent 
may  be  exhibited  in  telling  a  stranger  his  way. 

"  I  am  now  as  happy  as  the  day  is  long.  Nor 
does  my  peace  depend  on  the  magnitude  of  the 
forthcoming  congregations.  If  three  come,  I  shall 
not  be  disturbed ;  if  none  come,  I  shall  still  be  easy. 
I  have  done  what  I  could ;  and  as  soon  as  I  could 
see  my  way  to  that,  all  difficulty  was  at  an  end. 

"  I  hope,  in  any  event,  to  bring  home  some  infor- 
mation, that  may  be  of  use  to  the  committee.  I 
begin  to  get  interested  in  the  plan,  and  have  some 
suggestions  ready  which  would,  I  think,  prove  valu- 
able for  the  future. 

"  I  shall  judge,  by  the  experience  of  the  next  two 
days,  whether  I  shall  remain  another  week.  If  I 
find  that  there  is  very  little  opening,  I  shall  leave 
this  on  Tuesday.  Indeed,  unless  there  be  a  con- 
siderable measure  of  success,  I  think  it  will  be  better 


chap.  ix.  SMALL  A  UDIENCE.  421 

to  make  only  the  one  trial,  and  so  do  nothing  to  hurt 
the  prestige  for  another  season,  when  the  work 
might  be  begun  under  better  auspices." 

"Baden,  Monday,  9th  September  1867. 

"DEAREST, — Be  content  with  a  very  small  letter 
to-day,  as  I  wish  to  go  by  train  at  2.55  to  Freiburgh. 

"I  shall  not  return.  I  need  not  give  you  at 
present  details ;  suffice  it,  that  though  my  audiences 
were  very  small,  they  were  full  of  interest.  I  do 
not  know  that  ever  any  work  of  mine  was  valued 
more.  I  had  much  conversation  with  individuals 
afterwards.  I  have  decided  clearly  that  I  should 
not  stay." 

DIARY. 

"  31st  December  1867. — One  entry  more  ere  the 
year  expire.  How  crowded  are  these  last  five 
months!  I  remained  at  home  till  the  end  of  August. 
I  then  started  on  a  continental  excursion.  Laboured 
one  week  in  the  '  Salle  Evangelique '  at  the  Exposi- 
tion at  Paris,  in  connection  with  the  Evangelical 
Alliance.  Not  much  work  in  English  depart- 
ment, but  great  openings  with  the  French.  At  the 
request  of  our  Free  Church  Continental  Committee, 
I  went  from  Paris  to  Baden  Baden.  Most  interest- 
ing opportunity  of  preaching  Christ  to  a  small  com- 
pany, and  much  communion  afterwards. 

"  Returned  to  London  and  preached  in  Regent 
Square    on  the   two   last   Sabbaths    of  September. 


422  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.       chap.  ix. 

Saw  dear  James  Hamilton  on  his  sick-bed — death- 
bed." 

The  great  event  of  the  year  to  him  was  the  death 
above  alluded  to,  of  Dr.  James  Hamilton,  "  the 
dearest  of  all  his  early  friends  in  the  ministry."  The 
bereavement  was  a  heavy  one,  for  the  two  friends 
had  been  as  brothers  since  their  college  days. 

To  Mrs.  Hamilton. 

"Edinburgh,  2Uh  Nov.  1867. 

"My  dear  Mrs.  Hamilton, — Since  I  was  last  in 
London  I  have  been  keeping  company  with  you 
more  than  formerly.  You  have  often  had  a  place 
beside  your  husband  in  my  prayer.  I  am  accus- 
tomed to  set  the  group  before  me  in  imagination. 
I  employ  a  kind  of  sight  that  greatly  helps  my 
thoughts.  Your  countenances  come  easily  up,  and 
perfectly.  But,  alas !  his  comes  up  still  among  the 
the  rest,  the  same  that  it  was  wont  to  be.  This 
realising,  imagining  faculty  of  our  mind  leaps  easily 
over  the  boundary — hardly  recognises  a  boundary — 
and  expatiates  freely  among  the  worthy  who  have 
gone  away, — another  help  to  our  faith  in  our  own 
immortality.  His  face  and  tones  will  abide  with 
me  now  to  the  end,  I  think.  Time  has  not  space 
enough  in  which  to  rub  them  out." 

Soon  afterwards  he  was  asked  to  write  the  life 
of  his  friend,  and  he  was  engaged  upon  it  for  up- 


chap.  ix.  HOUSE  AT  MERCHISTON.  423 

wards  of  a  year.  It  was,  indeed,  a  labour  of  love, 
and,  as  he  tells  us  himself,  proved  both  pleasant 
and  profitable  to  the  writer. 

The  following  extract  is  from  a  note-book  en- 
titled "  Journal  of  Miscellaneous  Events,  Public  and 
Private,  by  me,  William  Arnot,"  and  distinguished 
from  his  more  private  diary  by  a  note  stating  that 
"while  some  of  its  contents  may  be  more,  and  some 
less  suitable  for  publication,  it  contains  nothing 
which  need  necessarily  be  kept  secret." 

"  1st  Jan.  1868. — It  is  two  years  since  the  date  of 
last  entry.  I  cannot  now  fill  up  the  gaps,  but  I  shall 
insert  some  items  that  loom  largest  in  memory, 
until  I  bring  it  up  to  the  present  date ;  and  then 
endeavour  to  keep  up  with  times  and  events  as 
they  follow. 

"  For  about  a  year,  from  June  1866  till  June 
1867,  I  was  much  occupied  with  the  building  of  a 
house  for  my  family.  Having  learned  from  the 
family  of  Miss  Chalmers  that  she  intended  to  resume 
her  house  in  May  1867,  I  made  arrangements  for 
obtaining  a  feu,  and  building  on  the  Merchiston 
grounds.  I  made  the  whole  internal  plan  of  the 
house  myself,  and  gave  my  sketch  to  Mr.  Raeburn, 
with  instructions  to  propose  an  elevation,  and  to 
put  the  whole  into  shape  for  contract.  We  began 
the  building  in  July  1866,  and  entered  the  house 
on  13th  May  18(57.  It  is  most  spacious  and  com- 
fortable  


424  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  ix. 

"  We  spent  a  month  at  Tigh-na-bruaich,  on  the 
Kyles  of  Bute,  in  Aug.  1866.  Very  wet  weather, 
but  a  great  amount  of  exercise  in  boats  on  the  Kyles. 

"  My  chief  literary  work  in  1866  was  a  series  of 
papers  in  Family  Treasury,  with  the  general  title, 
'  The  Lesser  Parables  of  our  Lord.' 

"  Occasional  papers,  also,  in  the  Sunday  Magazine 
during  1866-7,  and  one  on  the  death  of  Dr. 
James  Hamilton,  in  January  1868.  An  extraordi- 
nary concurrence  of  honour  done  to  Hamilton's 
memory.  The  memory  of  the  just  is  indeed 
blessed. 

"  Our  own  congregation  has  increased  and 
become  more  consolidated.  Its  contributions  have 
of  late  shown  a  decided  improvement.  The  mis- 
sion and  school  work  goes  on  with  constancy  and 
energy;  and  there  is  universal  peace  amongst  us. 

"  The  latest  important  event  in  my  personal 
history  has  been  a  proposal  to  remove  to  London, 
to  occupy  beloved  and  lamented  Hamilton's  place 
in  Regent  Square. 

"  Before  his  death,  when  it  had  become  evident 
that  in  any  event  a  successor  must  be  obtained,  a 
committee  of  seventy, — thirty  -  five  office-bearers, 
with  thirty-five  from  the  congregation  —  agreed 
unanimously  to  request  me  to  undertake  the  work 
before  they  should  make  inquiry  in  any  other 
quarter.  A  deputation  of  two  of  their  number, 
Messrs.  Watson  and  Wark,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Hugh 
Mathieson,   waited    upon    me    accordingly   here    in 


chap.  ix.    LAST  THOUGHTS  OF  PALESTINE.  425 

November.  I  considered  the  matter  earnestly  for 
eight  days,  and  then  intimated  that  I  could  not 
see  my  way  to  accept  the  call.  Leading  members 
of  the  Free  Church  gave  judgment  in  favour  of  it ; 
but,  on  a  conjoined  view  of  all  the  circumstances — 
my  age,  my  family,  my  congregation,  Edinburgh — I 
could  not  bring  myself  up  to  the  point  of  incurring 
the  responsibility  of  making  the  change.  My  pre- 
sent position  of  course  got  the  benefit  of  the  doubt." 

DIARY. 

"  Jan.  7,  1868. — A  suggestion  has  been  made  to 
me  from  the  deacons,  that  they  would  smooth  my 
way  to  visit  Palestine  this  spring.  I  have,  however, 
discovered  that  Dr.  Andrew  Thomson  has  postponed 
his  intended  visit  till  the  following  year,  when  he 
expects  to  form  a  party.  I  suppose  I  must  delay 
too,  as  I  cannot  go  alone,  and  do  not  know  of  any 
other.  But  I  am  not  very  sanguine  about  it.  A 
postponement  with  me  may  probably  turn  out  an 
abandonment.  I  must,  however,  mark  the  sugges- 
tion and  the  hindrance  that  has  occurred  ;  perhaps  I 
may  be  able  afterwards  to  see  more  meaning  in 
the  whole." 

This  is  the  last  hint  of  any  desire  for  eastern 
travel.  The  subject  is  not  mentioned  in  the  Diary 
again,  and  this  failure  seems  to  have  caused  less 
disappointment  than  the  previous  ones. 


426  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  ix. 

"  31st  October  1868. — A  journey  on  the  Continent 
this  autumn,  accompanied  by  my  wife,  the  children 
being  at  the  same  time  lodged  at  Aberdour.  We 
went  by  London,  Paris,  &c,  to  Switzerland,  thence 
over  the  Simplon,  by  Lake  Maggiore  to  Milan.  .  .  . 

"  Much  negotiation  while  in  London  regarding  a 
Memoir  of  James  Hamilton.  I  have  undertaken 
it,  and  the  work  is  begun." 

To  Rev.  Dr.  M'Cosh, 

On  his  Induction   to  the   Principalship   of  the 

Theological  Faculty  in  Princeton  University. 

"  Edinburgh,  30th  November  1868. 

"My  dear  Brother  M'Cosh, — I  heartily  con- 
gratulate you  on  your  almost  regal  reception.  It 
is  quite  refreshing  to  observe,  in  letters  so  large 
that  he  may  run  who  reads  them,  that  the 
American  churches  have  received  you  with  warm 
affection  and  distinguished  honour. 

"Mr.  Cuyler,  of  New  York,  in  a  letter  which  I 
received  on  Saturday,  speaks  of  the  affair  with 
enthusiasm. 

"  Our  political  wheel  goes  round  grandly,  and 
Scotland  has  done  her  duty  well.  On  the  ques- 
tion of  the  Irish  Church,  we  give  the  Liberal  party 
at  least  50  to  10 — perhaps,  53  to  7.  We  under- 
stand here  that  to  uphold  the  Anglican  hierarchy 
is  not  precisely  equivalent  to  the  maintaining  of 
Protestantism 


chap.  ix.   TRANSLATION  OF  THE  'PROVERBS:      427 

"  We  are  endeavouring  to  gather  materials  for  a 
memoir  of  James  Hamilton.  If,  in  the  course  of 
the  Avinter,  any  fact,  or  document,  or  person  come 
in  your  way,  or  into  your  mind,  that  might  be  or 
give  some  information  useful,  will  you  be  so  good 
as  send  it  %     We  shall  not  print  till  spring. 

"  I  hope  and  pray  that  you  may  be  long  spared 
to  be  one  good  tough  strand  of  the  cable,  not  sub- 
marine, that  really  binds  the  two  nations  together, 
— the  bond  of  Christian  brotherhood. — Yours, 

W.  ARNOT." 

To  Rev.  J.  M.  Dupontel  de  la  Harpe. 

"  Edinburgh,  ith  March  1869. 

"  DEAR  Sir, — I  am  much  interested  in  your  pro- 
posal to  translate  into  French  my  book  on  the 
Proverbs  of  Solomon.  As  far  as  I  know,  it  has  not 
been  translated  hitherto. 

"Considering  its  bulk,  and  the  comparatively 
small  number  of  French-speaking  Protestants  to 
whom  you  can  look  for  a  market,  I  should  think 
it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  publisher  to  under- 
take it. 

"  If  that  difficulty  should  be  found  insuperable, 
it  is  open  to  consideration  whether  portions  might 
not  be  omitted,  so  as  to  bring  within  a  smaller  bulk. 

"  If  you  see  your  way  to  undertake  it,  I  shall 
do  all  I  can  to  facilitate  your  labour. 

"I  suppose  it  probable  that  you    are   related  to 


428  MEMOIR  OF  REV.  W.  ARNOT.        chap.  ix. 

Professor  La  Harpe,   of    Geneva,    whom  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  knowing. — Yours,  &c., 

W.  Arnot." 

DIARY. 

"  25th  November  1869. — This  afternoon  I  carried 
to  the  printers  the  last  page  of  the  memoir  of 
beloved  Hamilton.  I  have  been  for  a  year  past 
intimately  conversant  with  an  eminent  saint  now 
in  rest.  The  work  has  been  heavy,  but  pleasant; 
and  I  hope  will  be  profitable  to  myself  and  others. 
I  have  been  obliged  to  consider  a  great  mass  of 
documents.  This  occupation  has  not  sensibly  in- 
terfered with  my  public  work  on  Sabbath;  but 
other  things,  especially  visiting,  have  been  much 
retarded.  There  is  a  continual  reproof  for  me  in 
the  whole  life  of  Hamilton — in  the  point  of  dili- 
gence in  his  work.  It  was  more  than  diligence  in 
his  case.  It  was  an  eager,  restless  devotion  that 
shortened  his  days.  A  medium  between  the  slack- 
ness of  my  own  life  and  the  over  eagerness  of  his 
would  be  the  best." 


CHAPTER   X. 

JOURNAL. 

"17th  February  1870. 
u  ri^WO  days  ago,  Sir  H.  Moncreiff,  our  Moderator, 
on  the  part  of  the  Assembly's  Committee  in 
charge,  asked  if  I  would  consent  to  be  nominated 
on  the  deputation  from  the  Free  Church  to  the 
United  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Churches  in 
America,  in  May  of  this  year.  I  have  taken  some 
days  to  consider  it,  but  I  rather  incline  to  go.  It 
is  a  great  crisis  for  the  Presbyterian  Church 
throughout  the  world,  and  some  good  may  result 
from  our  intercourse.  It  is  an  advantage  that,  as 
far  as  I  am  known  in  America,  I  am  known  as  a 
sympathiser." 

In  April,  accordingly,  he  set  out  for  America, 
accompanied  by  his  eldest  daughter.  Professor 
Blaikie,  of  the  New  College,  Edinburgh,  was  his 
colleague  on  this  occasion ;  and  Mrs.  Blaikie  was 
also  of  the  party.       They  Avere  absent  about  three 

429 


430  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  x. 

months  altogether,  and  visited  many  cities  in  the 
States  and  also  in  Canada. 

In  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Arnot,  Dr.  Blaikie  says  : — 
"  Mr.  Arnot  seemed  to  me  to  take  more  pleasure  in 
American  society,  where  form  and  ceremony  are  so 
little  studied,  than  in  similar  company  at  home. 
The  call  for  speeches,  which  is  so  frequent  there, 
did  not  embarrass  him,  but  was  always  responded 
to  heartily  and  pleasantly ;  and  I  think  that  gene- 
rally he  was  more  happy  in  his  off-hand  little 
speeches  than  in  some  that  were  prepared  more 
elaborately.     .     . 

Mr.  Arnot  was  well  known  in  America  by  his 
books,  and  wherever  he  went  this  was  apparent. 
The  readers  of  these  books  seemed  to  know  what 
manner  of  man  he  was,  and  their  impressions 
formed  from  his  writings  seemed  to  be  precisely 
met  by  what  they  found  the  living  man  to  be. 
Extracts  from  his  letter  home  will  give  a  sufficient 
account  of  his  journey  and  work  in  America. 

"'Nemesis,'  at  Sea, 

400  miles  north-east  of  New  York, 

23d  April  1870. 

"  Dearest  all  at  Home, — Hitherto  our  voyage 
has  been  so  uneventful  and  prosaic,  that  although 
my  energy  had  been  greater  than  it  was,  I  could 
not  have  imparted  any  interest  to  my  letters — 
'  Story  I  had  none  to  tell,  Sir.'  Bat  yesterday 
we  were  favoured  with  a  phenomenon  which  it 
is   not   the   fortune   of  everyone   who   crosses    the 


chap.  x.  A    WATERSPOUT.  431 

Atlantic  to  see — a  thunder-storm,  accompanied  by  a 
water-spout  of  great  dimensions — only  three  or  four 
miles  distant,  with  all  conditions  most  favourable  for 
observing  it. 

"  Late  in  the  afternoon,  with  the  sea  smooth  and 
the  sky  clear,  a  slight  breeze  blowing  from  the 
west,  as  I  was  pacing  the  lower  deck,  my  atten- 
tion was  arrested  by  a  very  dark  cloud  right  ahead 
at  some  distance.  There  was  as  yet  a  space,  as 
it  were,  the  height  of  one  of  our  decks  or  stories, 
of  dim  light  between  the  under  side  of  the  cloud 
and  the  horizon ;  but  at  one  portion,  about  as  broad 
as  the  height  of  that  interval,  the  cloud  came  down 
and  leant  on  the  sea.  As  I  continued  gazing  on 
the  point,  I  observed  it  all  intersected  through  and 
through  with  ribbons  of  lightning.  Jeannie  was  on 
the  upper  deck  within  hail ;  I  called  her  to  come  to 
the  side,  and  directed  her  where  to  look.  To  the 
young  Dutch  lady  who  was  with  her,  I  pointed 
to  the  spot  and  said,  'Donner  und  Blitzen,'  feeling 
sure  that  if  this  were  not  exactly  Dutch,  it  must 
be  very  near  it.  I  then  ran  to  the  cabin,  and  sum- 
moned the  rest  of  the  passengers.  We  all  ascended 
to  the  upper  deck,  and  took  a  good  position. 

"  By  this  time  the  bit  of  cloud  that  had  held 
communication  with  the  sea  had  drawn  itself  up, 
and  at  another  place  the  specific  phenomena  of  the 
water-spout  began  to  evolve  themselves  slowly. 

" .  .  .  .  Voila.  But  you  must  not  suppose 
that  all  these  pillars  stood  before  you,  like  a  com- 


432  MEMOIR  OF  REV.  W.  A  KNOT.         chap.  x. 

pany  of  volunteers  on  their  first  drill.  One  at  a 
time,  if  you  please.  Begin  at  the  left  hand  and 
finish  off  at  the  right ;  and  so  you  have  the  pheno- 
mena as  they  appeared  to  us  in  succession  during 
a  period,  I  should  guess,  of  twelve  or  fifteen 
minutes ;  for  I  did  not  think  of  marking  the  time 
The  colour  of  my  ink,  as  it  now  appears,  is  exactly 
the  colour  of  the  clouds,  but  it  will  lose  most  of 
its  purple  before  it  reach  you. 

"  I  know  that  we  were  within  three  or  four  miles 
of  the  object,  for  the  dark  cloud  had  not  great 
lateral  extent.  We  saw,  as  we  approached  it,  clear 
sky  on  either  side.  Our  course  lay  directly  through 
the  heart  of  it ;  and  we  were  not  longer  in  it  than 
about  fifteen  minutes — that  is,  from  the  time  that 
the  ship  plunged  into  the  side  of  the  black  cloud 
mountain  to  the  time  that  she  emerged  into  light 
on  the  other  side.  I  should  have  mentioned  that, 
as  we  came  very  near,  the  water-spout,  which  was 
always  to  the  left  side  of  the  cloud,  and  the  left 
of  our  course,  disappeared,  and  the  clear  space 
closed  up,  the  cloud  resting  now  all  its  length  on 
the  sea. 

"Before  we  entered,  and  while  we  were  in,  there 
was  a  constant  gleaming  of  lightning  and  discharge 
of  thunder  peals ;  such  as  we  saw  and  heard  in 
Canada.  While  we  were  in,  the  rain  was  most 
wonderful.  Bucketfuls  ceased  to  be  a  bold  figure, 
and  became  a  plain  fact.  Within  the  cloud  the  air 
was  still.     It  was  not  in  motion.     A  few  minutes 


A  CONTRAST.  433 


after  we  emerged,  a  smart  gale  from  the  west 
suddenly  began.  As  we  were  entering,  men  were 
sent  in  haste,  rather  too  late,  one  to  each  mast 
to  disentangle  the  lightning  conducting  wires, 
and  throw  their  extremities  into  the  sea. 

"  Such  is  the  first  act;  the  second,  though  in  some 
respects  grander,  cannot  so  readily  be  either  figured 
or  described.  When  we  got  to  the  westward  of 
the  cloud,  we  found  ourselves  between  two  of  the 
grandest  and  most  intensely  exhibited  contrasts 
that  I  have  ever  observed  in  nature.  In  the 
west,  the  sun  was  setting  in  an  exceeding  great 
glory,  the  main  field  of  the  canvas  blue  sky, 
with  plentiful  clouds  flung  over  it  in  all  imagin- 
able shapes  and  hues.  Behind  us  in  the  east  lay 
that  thunder  cloud  ;  an  inky  mountain  lying  heavy 
on  an  inky  sea ;  the  two  in  one,  without  dis- 
tinguishable boundary,  constituting  a  blackness 
of  darkness  fitted  to  impress  any  human  heart 
with  silent  awe. 

"  I  think  it  was  hardly  possible,  in  the  cir- 
cumstances, that  any  one  acquainted  with  the 
Bible,  with  the  blessed  hope  which  it  reveals, 
could  have  stood  as  I  did,  between  those  two, 
and  not  thought,  as  I  did,  of  the  Redeemer  on  his 
throne ;  with  a  right  and  left  side  of  the  throne. 
But  here  thoughts  spring  up  which  can  hardly  be 
with  propriety  thrust  into  these  flying  leaves. 
It  was  sweet  at  the  moment  to  feel  that  we  had 
■1  E 


434  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  x. 

passed  through  the  cloud,  and  its  thunders  had  not 
harmed  us. — Adieu.  William  Arnot." 

"  «  Nemesis,'  Sabbath,  21th  April  1870. 

" .  .  .  .  During  the  night,  fog ;  but  water 
perfectly  smooth ;  slowed  to  nine  knots  an  hour, 
till  four  in  the  morning.  Then  out  of  fog  and 
got  a  pilot. 

"  In  the  morning  I  enjoyed  some  pleasant  com- 
munion in  spirit  with  the  congregation ;  at  that 
time  in  the  middle  of  forenoon  worship. 

"  Day  beautiful  and  bright ;  sea  literally  like 
glass  ;  heavens  cloudless  ;  grand  circular  horizon  ; 
slight  breeze  that  makes  the  air  pleasant. 

"  An  interesting  phenomenon  to-day.  By  arrange- 
ment with  the  captain,  and  according  to  the  rule 
of  the  ship,  Dr.  Blaikie  read  the  English  service, 
and  I  was  permitted  to  address  the  people  in 
the  saloon;  as  many  as  could  be  crowded  in,  cabin 
passengers,  emigrants,  ship's  officers,  and  crew. 
We  sang  twice  a  hymn.  Jeannie  was  leader.  Did 
not  I  feel  like  Longfellow's  blacksmith  all  over? 
From  the  circumstances,  voyage  nearly  ended — 
beautiful  day,  all  well,  Sabbath,  etc. — all  who  had 
any  root  of  right  in  them  were  tenderly  disposed, 
and  the  meeting  was  really  joyful  and  devout. 
Many  were  weeping." 

"  New  York,  Tuesday,  26th  April. 

"  I  am  like  a  prisoner  that  has  got  sixty  days, 
and,  lo  !  one  of  them  is  past." 


NEW  YORK.  435 


"  St.  George's  Hotel,  New  Yokk, 
2d  May  1870. 

"  Alas,  the  letters  are  meagre  now.  We  are 
rather  hard  driven,  but  the  weather  is  fine,  finer 
than  our  climate  affords  at  any  season,  warm  and 
sunful,  but  with  a  gentle  fresh  breeze  seeking 
through  and  keeping  all  moderate.     .     . 

"  Yesterday,  we  both  preached  twice,  and  both 
addressed  a  great  meeting  in  Dr.  Hall's  church  in 
the  evening. 

"  I  was  in  Brick  Church,  Dr.  Murray,  forenoon ; 
Madison  Square,  Dr.  Adams,  afternoon ;  and  Dr. 
Hall's,  evening.  Large  assemblies.  I  felt  quite  at 
home  with  them  all. 

"  .  .  .  .  To-day  we  have  seen  at  great  length 
two  of  the  largest  public  schools  in  New  York;  a 
boys'  (1500),  and  a  girls'  nearly  as  large.  All  the 
girls'  teachers  are  women,  and  two-thirds  of  the 
boys'.  It  is  beautiful  to  see  bands,  hundreds  of  big 
lads,  marching  and  gesturing  to  the  word  of  com- 
mand given  by  a  young  lady. 

"  Smart  girls,  and  competent,  are  the  teachers. 
We  were  guided  by  an  old  friend,  Holme.  His  wife 
and  son  guided  our  ladies  to  Ward  Beecher's  yester- 
day forenoon  ;  they  brought  back  an  invitation  from 
Beecher  to  me  to  preach  in  his  church.  Perhaps  I 
may  be  able  to  accept  it ;  I  would  like  to. 

'•  We  have  also  gone  through  one  of  their  crack 
dry-goods  stores,  and  The  Tombs,  city  prison.    .     .    . 


436  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  x. 

"  Our  visit  promises  to  be  really  useful.  This 
thought  will  help  to  balance  the  homeward  yearning 
which  already  sets  in  strong,  stronger  than  I  care 
to   express." 

"Philadelphia,  6th  May  1870. 

" .  .  .  .  We  came  to  Princeton  on  Tuesday 
forenoon.  It  is  a  greater  college  than  I  expected. 
Much  enlarged  since  Dr.  M'Cosh  came.  Fine  new 
class  rooms  ready  to  be  occupied.  We  attended 
worship  at  five  in  the  chapel — students  and  profes- 
sors. Then  we  were  elected  members  of  a  certain 
mysterious  literary  society,  and  were  duly  initiated, 
both  delivering  inaugurals.  Then  the  students'  own 
prayer  meeting — three  hundred  in  the  chapel ;  both 
of  us  addressed  them  ;  tender  and  impressive  meet- 
ing. Then  a  mob  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  in  the 
evening.  Much  talk  all  the  evening,  concluding 
with  ice-cream.  Two  rooms,  connected  by  folding 
doors,  hold  a  multitude.  It  was  like  a  public 
meeting 

"  Wednesday  morning,  called  and  saw  Dr.  Hodge. 
Resolved,  on  seeing  him,  to  dress  more  neatly  when 
I  sit  in  my  study." 

"Washington,  7th  May  1870. 
"  We  have  reached  the  capital  in  safety,  and  dined 
in  grand  style.     Mr.  Stuart  has  obtained  passes  for 
us  all   with  return,  as  far  as  this,  and  sent  us  to  the 


chap.  x.        WASHINGTON  AND  RICHMOND.  437 

grandest  hotel  in  Washington.  He  is  an  extraor- 
dinary man ;  the  affection  which  he  shows  to  me  is 
quite  touching.  The  progress  that  we  made  with 
him  through  Philadelphia  for  two  days  is  altogether 
indescribable.  He  moves  about  like  a  king ;  nobody 
refuses  him  anything.  He  controls  the  highest,  and 
speaks  kindly  to  the  lowest.  This  involves  a  per 
contra ;  for  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  everybody 
will  care  so  much  for  the  Scotch  deputation  as  he. 
He  has  us  engaged  both  to  preach  here  twice  to- 
morrow.    I  do  not  yet  know  the  churches." 

"Washington,  12th  May  1870.      . 

" .  .  .  .  We  had  a  reunion  in  Dr.  EtocIgVe 
house,  at  Richmond,  on  Tuesday  evening.  He  is  a 
gallant,  soldierly-looking  man.  As  soon  as  he  saw 
me,  he  said,  '  I  have  seen  you  before.  I  heard  you 
preach  to  the  soldiers  in  Montreal  in  1845.'  He  was 
then  a  young  man,  at  the  beginning  of  his  ministry. 
He  repeated  to  me  the  opening  thoughts  and  sen- 
tences of  the  sermon,  almost  word  for  word.     .     .     . 

"  Many  senators  have  spoken  to  us.  We  were 
admitted  to  the  floor  of  both  houses,  and  had  much 
conversation  with  the  members.  The  capitol  is  a 
grand  and  gracious  structure,  all  white  marble." 

"  Thursday. 

"  Last  night  a  reunion  in  the  house  of  a  bookseller 
— Scotchman.  They  made  speeches  to  and  of  us. 
We  must  reply.  Though  it  was  unexpected,  we 
both  acquitted  ourselves  respectably.     This  morning 


438  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  x. 

a  grand  drive  to  high  grounds  in  vicinity,  and  saw 
a  deaf-mute  college ;  great  affair.  Here  we  received 
addresses  and  made  speeches.  Then  through 
grounds  of  soldiers'  hospital  and  soldiers'  cemetery, 
with  huge  panorama.  Next  through  Patent  Office ; 
quadrupled  since  you  were  there  ;  also  Post  Office. 

"  An  interview  with  agent  of  land  company,  who 
wishes  to  frank  us  to  Kansas,  about  200  miles  beyond 
the  Missouri  river,  that  we  may  see  the  land,  and  be 
able  to  give  testimony  regarding  it  for  emigration. 
Could  be  done  in  our  time ;  but  think  it  not  likely 
we  shall  undertake.  Whether  we  undertake  or  not, 
it  will  not  affect  our  time ;  for  we  must  be  in 
Toronto  on  Sabbath,  12th  June,  in  any  case.  That 
is  on  our  way  back." 

"Baltimore,  Monday,  16th  May  1870. 

"  .  .  .  .  We  both  preached  twice  here  yesterday. 
The  day  was  the  hottest  we  have  yet  experienced. 
It  was  not  much  inconvenience.  In  the  morning  a 
large  church,  large  assembly,  good  air,  and  easy. 
Evening,  Mr.  Johnstone's  (Reformed  Presbyterian) ; 
very  small  but  neat  church;  not  crowded.  It  is  most 
vexatious  to  see  a  handful  of  good  men  testifying 
more  Scotico  (after  the  fashion  of  Scotland)  in  a  nut- 
shell, and  not  touching  the  mighty  stream  of  the 
world.  A  city  of  from  three  to  four  hundred 
thousand  knows  nothing  of  them,  and  their  testi- 
mony for  Rouse's  Psalms  and  Drumclog  for  ever ! 

" .     .     .     .     The  real   stress   for    me  lies   in   the 


chap.  x.  GETTYSBURG.  439 

portion  between  Toronto  and  New  York  for  home. 
I  think  it  is  not  likely  I  shall  be  diverted  from  my 
purpose  of  sailing  on  June  23d.  I  think  by  that  time 
I  shall  have  had  enough  of  the  heat  and  the  toil, 
and  shall  long  for  the  cool  Atlantic.  I  have  a  secret 
suspicion  that  the  rest  of  the  party,  who  are  all 
courageous  now,  will  be  of  my  opinion  when  the 
time  comes.  They  do  not  yet  know  what  the  heat 
will  be.  I  don't  much  dread  it,  except  for  present 
discomfort.  I  am  not  inclined  to  eat  much  in  the 
heat,  and  I  shall  endeavour  to  shelter  myself  with 
my  old  umbrella  from  the  sun." 


"Gettysburg,  18th  May  1870. 

"  This  is  a  signalised  and  monumental  spot  of  the 
Continent.  We  came  out  from  Baltimore  yesterday, 
Blaikie  and  I,  leaving  the  ladies.  Reached  at  one 
o'clock.  Were  received  with  wonderful  affection 
and  hospitality  by  Professor  Stoever  and  his  family. 
A  college,  and  a  theological  seminary  of  the  Luthe- 
ran Church.  Considerable  town — pleasant  hill  and 
valley — like  a  more  luxurious  edition  of  our  land. 
But  the  great  point  of  attraction  was  the  battlefield. 
We  drove  round  it  fully,  and  got  everything 
thoroughly  explained.  I  shall  not  write  an  account 
of  it.  1  have  it  in  maps  and  letterpress,  and  these  I 
can  explain  when  I  come.  The  most  impressive  thing 
to  the  eye  was  a  portion  of  a  wood,  up  the  slope  of  a 
hill,  blasted  and  bare — the  trees,  all  killed  with  shot, 


440  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  x. 

standing  ragged  and  riddled  and  bare,  while  all  the 
rest  of  the  wood  is  green — where  an  assault  was 
made  on  the  Federal  lines.  The  bodies  of  the 
Federal  soldiers  were  all  collected,  and  buried  in  a 
beautiful  cemetery  ;  the  Confederates  were  laid  in 
heaps,  here  and  there,  where  they  fell,  with  a  mark 
cut  in  a  tree,  '  81  Eebs,'  or,  '  53  on  the  right.'  The 
weeds  and  grass  are  rank  over  the  pits,  and  in  some 
the  bones  are  protruding. 

"  In  the  corner  of  a  field  181  Federals  were  buried 
in  rows,  and  the  bones  afterwards  removed  to  the 
cemetery ;  but  every  grave  stood  out  like  a  mound 
of  green  through  the  rank  growth  of  the  clover  on 
them.  This  was  a  touching  sight.  We  thoroughly 
understood  the  three  days'  battle.  General  Howard 
has  the  chief  credit  for  the  result,  as  he  was  on  the 
spot  and  chose  the  ground  before  Meade  came  up. 
We  heard  Howard  praying  at  the  opening  of  his 
black  college  in  Washington,  his  left  coat  sleeve 
wagging  empty  by  his  side 

"  The  gentleman  who  brought  us  out  from  Balti- 
more, telegraphed  from  a  station  on  the  way  that 
they  might  have  a  meeting  in  the  evening.  At 
eight,  accordingly,  we  had  a  fine  assembly — extem- 
porised on  half-a-day's  notice,  in  the  Lutheran 
church.  They  cling  round  us  with  wonderful  affec- 
tion, and  are  much  interested  in  our  statements. 
We  give  them  something  of  speech,  but  I  never 
stop  without  giving  them  some  preaching;  it  is  the 
most  useful,  and  perhaps  as  much  relished  "as  any- 


chap.  x.  AMERICAN  ASSEMBL  Y.  441 

tiling  else.      The  groups   that  surround  us  at  the 
close  are  very  warm  in  their  sympathies." 

From  Philadelphia  he  writes  about  the  General 
Assembly — the  first  of  the  United  Church. 

"  19th  May  1870. 

" .  .  .  .  The  Assembly  was  grand  :  600  mem- 
bers. Methods  different  from  ours ;  some  worse, 
some  better.  Election  of  Moderator  a  more  natural 
and  real  process.  It  was  by  acclamation,  agreed 
privately  a  day  or  two  before.  No  time  to  prepare 
speeches  or  order  knee-breeches.  Both  articles 
accordingly  were  wanting,  but  they  were  not  missed. 
The  Assembly  was  more  natural  and  more  manly 
without  them.  All  hitherto  has  been  simple,  short, 
and  harmonious. 

"  Sermon  was  not  a  sermon,  but  a  speech.  It  threw 
down  in  terse  and  forcible  style  all  the  subjects  that 
must  come  before  the  Assembly,  and  so  contributed 
to  prepare  the  work. 

"  To-day  or  to-morrow  we  hope  to  hear  the  echo 
of  our  own  first  letters  resounding  from  the  walls  of 
Merchiston  Avenue  across  the  Atlantic.  We  hear 
that  Dr.  Candlish  is  ill — not  able  to  be  in  the  As- 
sembly. You  will  give  us  all  the  important  news. 
I  caunot  write  much  until  I  hear  from  you  again. 
We  find  it  a  relief  to  have  a  sort  of  home  here  again 
after  our  frequent  movings 

"  The  Assembly  becomes  an  intolerable  fatigue, 
partly  from  the  heat,  partly  from   the   quantity  of 


442  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  x. 

private  talk  that  I  am  obliged  to  do.  They  are 
great  introducers,  handshakers,  questioners.  They 
meet  at  9  to  1  and  3.30  to  5 ;  no  evening  sederunt. 
Next  week  there  will  be  public  meetings  every  night. 
I  must  attend  and  help  at  a  good  many,  but  I  can 
make  each  very  small.  The  great  reception  in 
Music  Hall  has  been  fixed  for  Friday  evening,  27th, 
so  we  cannot  leave  till  then.  We  shall  take  the 
train  westward,  I  think,  the  same  night  at  midnight. 

"  I  forget  whether  I  mentioned  that  I  get  D.D. 
here  universally.  It  comes  in  a  rush,  and  there  is 
no  resisting  it.  I  get  quite  used  to  it,  and  never 
take  the  least  notice.  Even  those  who  know  the 
fact  are  carried  down  in  the  flood.  Here  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  a  man  approaching  my  age  and  posi- 
tion that  is  not  D.D.,  and  so  the  good  people  cannot 
call  me  anything  else  than  Doctor ;  only  the  striplings 
here  are  simple  'misters.' 

"  I  must  own,  however,  that  the  reading  of  the  lists 
of  committees,  &c,  by  the  clerk,  becomes  very  ludi- 
crous, for  every  man  named  on  any  committee  is 
D.D.,  and  the  clerk  laboriously  pronounces  the  two 
sacred  letters  after  each  name.  I  think  from  the 
preponderance  of  the  title  here  it  will,  within  a 
generation,  come  to  be  given  to  every  minister  at 
ordination,  which  would  be  a  good  solution.  .  .  . 
I  get  much  more  recognition  on  account  of  the 
books  than  I  expected.  '  Roots  and  Fruits,'  and 
'Race  for  Riches,'  were  republished  here.  Hamil- 
ton's memoir  is  spreading  now.     This  sheet  must  be 


chap.  x.  GREETINGS.  443 

private,  for  much  is  about  myself. — Great  love  and 
kisses  to  yourself  and  all  the  circle. — Yours, 

W.  ARNOT." 

"  Philadelphia,  IZd  May  1870. 

" .  .  .  A  great  thunderstorm  on  the  evening  ot 
Saturday  ;  sublime  affair ;  much  rain.  Providential 
for  us,  yesterday  was  cool,  and  we  were  enabled  to 
go  through  our  work  without  harm.  I  had  very 
large  assemblies — many  ministers  ;  great  levies  at 
the  end.  A  good  deal  of  fatigue  in  speaking  to  the 
people,  who  come  up  to  shake  hands,  and  tell  what 
their  connection  is  with  Scotland.  The  errand  of 
many  is  to  tell  what  they  have  known  of  me, 
through  the  books  here,  or  preaching  at  home.  One 
woman's  story  last  night  was  that  the  '  Laws  from 
Heaven,'  &c,  is  sore  broken  in  the  back,  by  much 
travel  in  her  son's  knapsack  in  the  rocky  moun- 
tains. 

"  It  is  now  settled  that  we  shall  be  heard  on 
Wednesday  evening;  but  it  must  be  a  small  affair, 
as  they  do  not  begin  till  eight,  and  there  is  a 
host  of  us. 

"  There  is  now  a  conflict  whether  we  shall  wait 
for  Mr.  Stuart's  grand  full  dress  reception  on  Friday 
night.  There  will  be  2000  of  the  elite  of  this  great 
city.  The  loss  of  two  days  will  cramp  our  western 
circuit ;  on  the  other  side,  Mr.  Stuart  will  be  griev- 
ously disappointed  if  we  desert  the  diet;  and  it 
would  be  a  loss  to  Jeannie  to  miss  the  sight.  „     . 


444  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  x. 

"  Tuesday. 

"  I  was  at  a  temperance  meeting  in  the  early  part 
of  last  evening ;  and  we  had  a  large  evening  party 
here.  Anniversary  of  American  Sunday  School 
Union  this  evening  in  Academy  of  Music ;  place 
holds  5000.  Speaker  Colfax  in  chair.  M'Cosh  and 
myself,  with  sundry  Americans,  take  some  part." 

"  Philadelphia,  27th  May  1S70. 

" .  .  .  .  Now  for  sketch  of  our  history  since 
our  last.  On  Tuesday  we  were  at  Mr.  Patterson's 
country  seat.  Very  lovely ;  but  I  learned  a  lesson 
there.  I  would  not  like  it  so  well  as  a  similar  place 
in  our  own  climate.  It  was  too  warm,  too  tropical. 
The  growth  of  vegetable  life  made  human  life 
diminutive.  In  our  country  vegetation  is  a  sort  of 
companion  to  us — a  child,  rather,  that  needs  care, 
and  it  is  pleasant  to  give  it  the  care  it  needs ;  but 
here  it  is  a  great  strong  creature,  that  overshadows 
and  overwhelms  you 

"  Wednesday  evening  we  were  heard — Scotch 
and  Irish,  four  in  all,  in  Assembly.  I  was  first — 
again  gave  no  eloquence,  but  stated  a  number  ot 
facts  in  our  own  organisation  and  experience,  such 
as  I  had  observed  they  need  to  know.  I  made  no 
perorations — no  praises  of  America — a  plain  word 
that  I  thought  of  use.  Blaikie  and  I  had  divided, 
and  our  themes  were  entirely  distinct.  He  did  very 
much  as  I  did.  We  were  well  received,  and  heard 
with  deference." 


PITTSBURG  AND  CHICAGO.  445 


"  Eailway  Carriage,  Pittsburgh, 
May  30,  1870. 

" .  .  .  .  Preached  yesterday ;  many  Scotch 
people  came  round.  One  mother  showed  me  a  boy 
that  I  baptized  in  Glasgow.  She  was  from  Forgan- 
denny,  and  knew  my  father.  Another  told  me  I 
had  visited  her  mother  on  her  death-bed.  Many 
mechanics  here  from  our  country. 

"  The  U.P.  Synod  is  in  session  here.  They  expect 
us  all  to-night ;  but  considering  that  six  speeches 
are  one  too  many,  I  have  bolted.  We  are  now  in 
motion,  at  10.48 — a  moonlight  flitting.  This  is  my 
only  course.  I  have  frequently  yielded  to  American 
persuasion  against  my  own  judgment,  to  my  own 
too  great  fatigue,  and  this  time  I  have  concluded  to 
take  law  in  my  own  hand.  They  can  do  nothing 
when  the  nest  is  flown.  Brother  Blaikie  will  be 
quite  sufficient  to  represent  Scotland  without  me." 

"  Chicago,  4th  June  1870. 

".  .  .  .  To-day  I  was  sent  to  teach  the  lesson, 
Centurion's  servant,  to  the  Sabbath  School  teachers 
— weekly  at  noon  on  Saturday — more  than  two 
hundred — Dr.  Paton  and  a  number  of  ministers. 
Strange  coincidence.  I  had  to  speak  loud  to  cope 
with  storm  of  thunder  and  rain.  You  remember 
Montreal  twenty-five  years  ago. 

"At  Chicago  we  are  more  comfortable  in  some 
respects  than  we  have  ever  been.     As  yet  there  has 


446  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  x. 

been  no  oppressive  beat  here.  The  lake  seems  to 
keep  this  place  always  cooler.  Besides,  you  can 
get  not  only  cool,  but  cold  water  any  time  to  wash 
with  or  bathe  in.  A  tunnel  runs  out  into  the  lake 
two  miles.  Then  there  is  a  stalk  like  a  chimney 
that  rises  above  the  water.  Water  is  allowed  to 
enter  it  near  the  bottom,  where  it  is  always  cold ; 
it  is  pumped  up  on  the  margin  of  the  lake  for  dis- 
tribution. I  have  twice  bathed.  First  time  I  put  a 
little  hot  in  ;  next  took  it  cold,  but  it  startled  me. 
People  here  won't  bathe  in  it  cold ;  always  put 
warm  in.     .     .     . 

"  Last  night  being  our  only  evening,  the  sister  of 
our  hostess  had  a  large  party  for  us, — a  reception, 
seventy  people.  We  did  not  go  till  eight.  From 
that  hour  till  ten  I  stood  in  a  crowd,  and  talked  like 
a  steam-engine  to  group  after  group,  as  Mr,  Armour 
brought  them  to  me.  Jeannie  was  seldom  in  sight ; 
but  she  carried  on  a  parallel  underplot,  delighting 
them,  as  some  of  them  frankly  told  me.  Sometimes 
I  was  obliged  to  call  her,  to  introduce  her  to  my 
group.  I  thought  once  or  twice,  what  would  you 
have  said  or  done  had  you  been  here  ?  What  could 
you  have  done  but  sail  with  the  stream  1  You  may 
not  like  to  be  lionessized ;  but  here  they  would  not 
consult  your  liking,  but,  incontinent,  would  make 
you  a  lioness.  You  must  needs  have  shaken  your 
mane,  and  roared  once  or  twice  for  the  pleasure  of 
the  company." 


chap.  x.  CANADIAN  ASSEMBLY.  447 

"Toronto,  Wth  June  1870. 

"  At  Toronto  there  was  another  Union  General 
Assembly,  formed  by  the  union  of  the  two  churches 
representing  the  Free  and  United  Presbyterians  in 
Scotland. 

" .  .  .  .  The  role  was — two  Americans,  Blaikie 
and  myself,  received  by  the  Assembly  on  Thursday 
evening ;  Irish  and  English  on  Friday ;  Americans 
short.  Then  Blaikie  went  in  :  he  was  very  good.  I 
entered  the  lists  a  little  after  nine,  and  was  allowed 
full  swing.  Great  audience.  I  gave  them  a  touch  at 
first  on  the  political  side :  the  States,  the  Fenians, 
and  the  home  government.  There  is  much  excite- 
ment on  these  subjects.  I  had  felt  their  pulse  in 
private,  and  got  on  the  right  key.  I  gained  a 
favourable  hearing  for  all  I  had  to  say,  and  spoke 
quite  freely 

"  Both  of  us  spoke  far  freer  and  far  better  than  in 
the  American  Assembly." 

"  Lake  op  the  Thousand  Islands, 
11th  June  1870. 

"  Here  goes.  We  have  just  finished  breakfast. 
We  left  Kingston  at  5.30.  It  is  a  glorious  morning ; 
water  like  glass ;  islands  as  full  and  clear  below 
water  as  above  ;  some  small  lighthouses,  square,  and 
white  and  tapering,  stand  ou  their  head  in  the  water, 
and  you  can  scarcely  tell  where  the  real  water  line 
is.     We   are  rubbing  close  by  a  rocky  island  ;  you 


448  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  x. 

could  toss  a  biscuit  on.  I  have  seized  the  capstan  as 
a  writing  table — a  fine  round  table  top — and  I  have  a 
chair  beside  it,  with  its  -pillar  between  my  legs.  All 
the  people  round  me  thick,  on  stools  and  chairs, 
Yankees  and  Canadians,  men  and  women — an  agree- 
able company.  Captain  approaches  me  and  informs 
me  that  this  is  Fiddler's  Elbow ;  prettiest  place  of 
all.  A  duck,  scared,  scuds  away  swimming,  leaving 
its  diverging  waves  spreading  out  behind ;  but  fear- 
ing that  we  are  coming  too  near  she  dives,  and  we 
see  her  no  more." 

"Montreal,  \%th  June,  1870. 
" .  .  .  .  For  the  most  part  I  have  enjoyed 
considerable  liberty  and  hopefulness  on  the  Sab- 
baths. I  take  delight  in  the  opportunity  of  preach- 
ing the  word  in  so  many  large  cities  of  this 
continent,  —  New  York,  Washington,  Baltimore, 
Philadelphia,  Pittsburg,  Chicago,  Toronto,  Mon- 
treal, Brooklyn.  It  is  like  sailing  over  unknown 
seas,  and  planting  the  king's  flag  on  every  island. 
This  is  a  progress  that  ought  to  lift  up  my  life  by 
one  degree ;  a  shade  higher  by  this  trip  than  other- 
wise its  average  could  have  been.  It  has  two  sides ; 
labour,  activity,  which  is  very  pleasant ;  and  a  certain 
gentle  enduring,  that  is,  the  sense  of  exile.  Wanting 
this  slight  admixture  of  something  to  be  borne,  per- 
haps the  pleasure  would  have  been  too  great.  The 
sail  so  widely  spread,  and  so  well  filled,  might  have 
been  too  much  wanting  the  ballast ;  all  is  well. 


MONTREAL.  449 


"  I  cannot  rightly  get  a  grasp  of  you  and  your 
occupations  on  the  Sabbath,  because  of  the  difference 
of  longitude ;  ignorance,  if  I  possessed  it,  would  be 
bliss  now.  At  present,  for  example,  9  a.m.  (for  the 
breakfast  is  rather  late),  you  will  be  enjoying  your 
lunch  in  the  vestry,  and,  perhaps,  comforting  Mr. 
Dods  with  a  cup  of  tea.  It  would  be  a  simpler  and 
less  perplexed  conception  if  I  could  think  of  your 
occupations  as  synchronous  with  ours " 

Montreal,  19lh  June  1870. 

"  .  .  .  .  Yesterday  was  very  hot.  At  night  in 
church  it  was  much  felt,  by  the  congregation  fully 
as  much  as  by  the  minister.  As  we  came  home  the 
lightning  was  very  bright ;  we  were  obliged  to  shut 
our  eyes  and  grope  our  way,  the  dazzling  was  so 
painfid :  thunder  not  very  near.  It  continued  with 
rain  ;  cooler  to-day 

"  I  have  a  design  of  starting  this  afternoon,  by  a 
very  convenient  route,  lake  Champlain  by  night,  to 
Saratoga,  partly  to  lengthen  my  time  for  things  be- 
tween this  and  New  York,  and  partly  to  escape  one 
of  these  receptions  awaiting  us  in  the  house  of  a 
Mr.  Robertson.  Edmond  and  M'Leod  are  here ; 
they  will  suffice  as  lions  for  one  night." 

Saratoga,  23d  June. 
"  .     .     .     .     Last  night  a  meeting  in  Presbyterian 
church  ;  good  meeting,   and  I   enjoyed  it  mightily. 
We  are  here  all  right  in  a  hotel  whose  dining-room 
2  F 


450  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A R NOT.  chap.  x. 

can  dine  800  at  once ;  other  things  to  match.     It  is 
altogether  gigantic." 

"  Rutland,  23d  June  1870. 
".  .  .  .  We  slept  in  the  great  hotel — Con- 
gress Hall — last  night.  Had  supper  and  breakfast 
in  the  800  guest-power  dining-room ;  and  were 
bowed  away  from  the  pay-desk  by  the  proprietor, 
with  all  our  dollars  in  our  pocket.  The  people  at 
Saratoga  have  been  very  kind " 

"Boston,  Friday,  2ith  June  1870. 
"  Safe  to  Boston  at  nine  to-day.  Warm  welcome 
from  two  Glasgow  men, — one,  Gilchrist,  was  of  St. 
Peter's — steady,  and  thriving,  and  Christian.  We 
are  in  the  best  of  health.  Ebenezer!  A  meeting 
to-night  for  me.  Then  we  go  at  8^  to-morrow  A.M. 
by  rail — due  in  New  York  about  6^  P.M.  Cannot 
take  night  boat,  because  its  trains  start  at  7.  I 
send  this  on  the  chance  of  its  reaching  for  Saturday's 
steamer.  A  dieu,  that  is,  to  God  I  commit  thee,  and 
me,  and  all  ours.     Love  to  all.  W.  Arnot." 

As  will  be  seen  from  these  letters,  they  met  with 
great  kindness  and  unbounded  hospitality  every- 
where they  went,  and  the  whole  party  returned 
home  with  very  warm  hearts  towards  Americans 
in  general,  and  specially  towards  their  kind  friends 
and  entertainers,  with  many  of  whom  a  correspond- 
ence was  kept  up  ever  afterwards. 


chap.  x.  FAMILY  TREASURY.  451 

During  Mr.  Arnot's  absence  in  America,  the  editor- 
ship of  the  Family  Treasury  became  vacant,  and 
the  publishers  (T.  Nelson  &  Sons)  made  proposals 
to  him,  with  a  view  to  his  undertaking  the  conduct 
of  the  magazine.  On  his  return,  it  was  definitely 
arranged  that  he  should  become  editor,  his  duties 
to  commence  at  the  New  Year.  This  involved,  of 
course,  a  considerable  amount  of  additional  work, 
but  it  was  of  such  an  entirely  different  nature  from 
his  ordinary  studies,  that  he  found  it  rather  an  agree- 
able variety,  and  almost  a  relief,  to  turn  from  the 
one  to  the  other.  During  the  five  years  and  a-half, 
over  which  his  editorship  extended,  he  continued  to 
give  it  a  considerable  share  of  his  time  and  atten- 
tion, always  writing  himself  at  least  one  article, 
frequently  two,  for  each  number. 

He  was  keenly  interested  in  the  progress  of  the 
war  which  at  this  time  raged  on  the  Continent.  His 
sympathies  were  strongly  roused  on  the  side  of  the 
Germans,  that  being,  from  his  view-point,  the  side  of 
right  and  justice;  yet  in  thinking  and  speaking  of 
their  opponents,  compassion  for  their  suffering  was 
ever  the  pre-eminent  feeling.  He  looked  upon  the 
state  of  religion  and  society  in  France,  especially 
in  Paris,  as  the  great  cause  of  all  the  evils  which 
overwhelmed  her.  Writing  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  in  London,  where 
he  had  been  lately  delivering  a  lecture,  he  says : — 
"  It  is  pleasant  to  do  work  for  your  people.  I 
thought    much   of  Paris   while   I   looked    at    your 


452  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.  chap.  x. 

meeting  iu  the  hall.  If  one  such  meeting  had  been 
possible  in  Paris,  her  present  condition  would  have 
been  impossible. 

To  HIS  Sister-in-Law, 
On  the  Loss  of  a  Little  Child. 

10  Meechiston  Avenue,  Edinburgh, 
14th  September  1870. 

"My  dear  Mrs.  Fleming, — I  think  of  you  from 
time  to  time,  as  I  hear  the  lively  tongue  of  my  own 
little  boy  ringing  through  the  house.  About  this 
period,  when  the  first  pain  is  past,  and  time  begins 
to  soothe,  I  believe  the  silence  will  sometimes  affect 
you — you  will  miss  the  wonted  voice.  Possibly  even 
the  beauty  of  your  new  residence  may  be  shaded 
somewhat  by  the  cloud  that  has  passed  over  your 
heart  there.  I  sympathise  with  you  both  ;  and  I 
write  now,  not  that  I  have  anything  new  to  tell,  but 
rather  that  I  would  just  come  gently  forward  when 
I  see  you  sad,  and  speak  with  you  a  little. 

"  I  have  a  very  vivid  remembrance  of  my  first  great 
bereavement — death  of  my  only  brother,  when  I  was 
nineteen  years  of  age  ;  and  I  may  mention  one  effect 
that  it  produced  on  me.     It  did  not  cloud  my  home 

for  I  have  always  a  fond  clinging  to  the  spot ;  but 

it  threw  a  dark  veil  over  the  world  in  general,  and 
taught  me  not  to  count  it  my  home.  It  gave  an 
impulse  to  the  search  for  a  better  country,  which, 
through  all  changes,  has  not  even  yet  entirely  lost 


chap.  x.  ADVANCING  AGE.  453 

its  force.  More  than  one  of  your  cords  has  snapped 
of  late,  and  this  last  must  have  been  the  sharpest 
stroke.  I  pray  that  you  may  get  grace  to  profit  by 
the  discipline,  and  get  consolation  under  the  pain. 
'  Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee.'  These  touches  must 
be  meant  as  beckonings  to  come  nearer  and  walk 
closer.     Love  to  all. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

DIARY. 

"13th  August  1871.  —  I  have  conducted  the 
Family  Treasury  from  the  beginning  of  this  year — 
a  new  interest.  Though  the  work  is  considerable 
I  enjoyed  it.  I  ought  not  to  retain  long  the 
full  ministry  and  the  Treasury.  After  a  while,  if  I 
retain  it,  I  should  obtain  a  colleague  in  some  form 
for  the  ministry.  My  sixty-third  year  is  now  run- 
ning. Old  age,  I  fear,  tends  to  dry  up  the  spiritual 
life  ;  but  the  prayer,  the  old  prayer,  remains,  even  in 
old  age,  like  the  palm  tree,  etc.  I  cannot  disguise 
it,  should  not  disguise  it.  Old  age  is  not  so  favour- 
able to  secret  prayer,  for  example.  I  have  seldom 
much  enlargement,  yet  I  am  not  altogether  cast 
down.  Perhaps  it  is  not  all  declension.  I  some- 
times feel  as  if  there  were  a  change  to  fewer  words, 
shorter,  assuming  the  child's  place  and  acting  on  it. 

"  There  is  a  story  told,  I  think,  of  Bengel.  When 
he  was  toiling  at  his  desk,  some  one  overheard  him 
say,  '  Lord,  it  is  still  on  the  old  terms,'  and  with  that 
he  turned  to  his  work  again.     Oh,  for  that   kind  of 


454  MEM6*[R  OF  REV.   IV.  A  KNOT.  chap.  x. 


brevity !  I  suppose  there  are  really  two  kinds  of 
brevity  in  prayer :  one  because  you  are  far  off,  and 
one  because  you  are  far  in." 

The  Continental  journeys  were  now  of  almost 
annual  occurrence.  This  year  he  visited  a  district 
(Saxony  and  Bohemia)  which  was  entirely  new  to 
him.  His  letters,  however,  contain  little  description 
of  scenery  or  architecture.  They  are  for  the  most 
part  mere  jottings  of  his  route,  or  questions  and  in- 
structions as  to  home  matters,  interspersed  with  such 
little  sketches  from  nature  as  the  following : — 

"  Bohemia  is  somewhat  more  like  home.  My  heart 
was  set  a  beating  yesterday  by  an  incident  that 
called  up  fifty  years  ago  with  a  gush,  like  a  scent 
or  a  tune  of  childhood.  A  boy  was  herding  some 
cows  in  a  meadow.  One  cow  had  got  among  the 
field  of  clover  deep,  and  the  urchin  ran  and  drove 
her  out.  That  was  a  photograph  of  me,  but  the 
picture  wanted  my  father,  with  his  lecture  to  show 
that  it  is  better  to  watch  and  keep  the  cow  from 
entering  the  clover  field,  than  to  drive  her  out  after 
she  is  in." 


CHAPTER    XL 

To  Geo.  H.  Stuart,  Esq.,  Philadelphia. 

"  Edinburgh,  2Uh  August  1872. 

"  lVrY  DEAR  Mr*  Stuart, — ' Better  late  thrive 
than  ne'er  do  well.'  I  have  long  neglected 
my  duty  of  writing  to  you.  I  think,  however, 
from  time  to  time  about  you  and  yours.  It  seems 
like  a  swift  bright  dream  that  whirling  visit  of 
eight  weeks  that  my  daughter  and  myself  enjoyed 
in  your  country.  I  am  still  reaping  fruits  from 
it  in  a  form  that  I  could  scarcely  have  expected. 
Many  American  men  and  women,  the  salt  of  the 
earth,  I  believe,  in  your  continent,  visit  me.  Some 
come  to  my  house,  and  some  come  to  the  vestry 
of  my  church  on  Sabbath.  They  all  come  with 
frank  affection  to  me,  as  one  who  'loveth  their 
country.'  My  whole  family  greatly  enjoy  these 
visits.  There  is  never  any  shyness  :  we  plunge 
into  the  middle  of  things  in  a  moment.  I  was 
preaching  on  a  Sabbath  evening  in  Dublin,  and 
a  jolly  minister  from  New  York,  of  the  Dutch  Com- 

455 


456  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap.  xi. 

munion,  broke  off  from  his  party,  who  remained  at 
the  foot  of  the  stairs,  and  came  up  into  the  pulpit  to 
grasp  my  hand.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that 
the  coming  and  going  of  American  Christian  brothers 
and  sisters  has  much  enlivened  our  life  this  year  in 
Edinburgh. 

"  The  prospect  of  the  Alabama  settlement,  too,  has 
greatly  elevated  me.  Both  for  the  fact  itself  and 
its  example  to  the  world,  I  rejoice  in  it  greatly. 

"I  begin  to  entertain  seriously  the  possibility  of 
visiting  the  States  again  in  the  fall  of  next  year. 
Brother  Schaffhas  me  on  his  list  for  the  Evangelical 
Alliance.  If  I  come,  I  shall  secure  longer  time  than 
last,  and  my  wife  will  come  with  me. 

"  I  expect  to  have  by  that  time  two  additional 
reasons  for  visiting  America :  two  sons  settled  on  its 
soil.  I  have  one  son  in  Boston  (I  think  I  have 
not  mentioned  this  to  you  before)  since  the  New 
Year,  and  the  second  has  taken  his  passage  to  sail 
from  Glasgow  on  Wednesday  first." 

To  his  Son. 

"  28th  September  1872. 

"  My  Dear  Willie, — Your  letter  from  New  York 
arrived  a  few  days  ago,  while  I  was  on  a  journey  in 
Sutherlandshire.  It  was  very  welcome.  We  knew 
from  the  published  telegrams  that  the  '  Columbia ' 
arrived  in  New  York  on  Tuesday. 

"  Your  voyage  was  most  eventful — two  deaths 
self-inflicted,  from  a  small  company,  and  in  a  short 


chap.  xi.  WARNINGS.  457 

space  of  time.  Your  brother  had  an  eventful 
voyage  in  a  different  way — danger  of  foundering  in 
a  storm.  You  can  easily  conceive  that  I  think  a 
good  deal  about  you  both,  and  often  pray  for  you. 
Answers  to  prayer  come  in  various  and  unexpected 
ways.  I  think  I  see  marks  of  God's  goings  in  both 
voyages.  Each  of  you  met  with  what  should  stir 
up  your  souls;  and  I  shall  hope  that  the  solemn 
things  you  both  saw  on  the  great  deep  will  be  mes- 
sengers of  mercy  to  lead  you  to  Christ.  How  help- 
less is  a  human  being  when  he  is  given  over  to  his 
own  sin.  That  bottle  of  brandy,  with  which  the 
young  man  murdered  himself — the  memoiy  of  it 
will,  I  hope,  be  blessed  to  give  you  a  greater  horror 
of  all  that  leads  to  drunkenness.  Read  in  Acts 
xxviii.  how  Paul  threw  off  a  viper  that  fastened  on 
his  hand.  No  doubt  he  shook  it  off  with  a  shudder, 
as  a  creature  that  might  next  moment  sting  out 
his  life.  The  memory  of  the  voyage  will  perhaps 
contribute  to  give  you  a  horror  of  the  drunkard's 
cup  and  company.  Safety  lies  in  resisting  the  be- 
ginnings  " 

His  two  eldest  sons  were  now  engaged  in  busi- 
ness in  the  United  States,  and  when  he  was  invited 
to  attend  the  meetings  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance 
at  New  York  in  the  autumn  of  187t3,  this  was  a  con- 
siderable weight  added  to  the  scale  in  favour  of 
accepting.  The  reasons  on  the  other  side,  however, 
were  so  many  and  so  strong,  that,  even  in  the  face 


458  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.         chap.  xi. 

of  this,  he  had  decided  not  to  go.  Strong  pressure 
was  brought  to  bear  upon  him  in  a  personal  inter- 
view by  Mr.  G.  H.  Stuart,  of  Philadelphia,  and  Dr. 
Hall,  of  New  York,  and  their  representations  that 
the  Scotch  ministers  who  had  been  invited  had, 
without  exception,  declined  to  come,  and  that  Scot- 
land would  thus  be  virtually  unrepresented  at  the 
meeting,  sufficed  to  change  his  intention.  He 
writes : — 

"  My  difficulties  remain ;  but,  on  discovering  that 
nobody  is  going  from  Scotland,  I  am  so  much 
ashamed  of  my  country,  that  I  have  concluded  to 
cut  the  knots  I  cannot  loose,  and  come." 

He  left  home  in  the  middle  of  August,  so  as  to 
have  some  time  for  travelling  before  the  meetings 
of  the  Alliance,  which  were  to  be  held  early  in 
October.  On  this  occasion  he  traversed  the  Pacific 
Railway  to  San  Francisco,  and  back,  a  great  under- 
taking for  one  of  his  years,  and  alone ;  indeed,  the 
result  proved  that  it  was  too  great.  A  serious  ill- 
ness detained  him  some  days  in  Salt  Lake  City,  and 
though  he  recovered,  so  as  to  be  able  to  complete 
the  journey,  the  fatigue  of  it  more  than  balanced  the 
pleasure,  and  the  very  recollection  of  it  was  never 
anything  but  dreary  to  him. 

"Salt  Lakb  City,  Utah, 
10th  Sept  1873. 

" ....  I  have  been  detaiued  four  days  in  this 
place  by  sickness — the  diarrhoea  that  is  almost  uni- 


chap.  xi.        FRIENDS  IN  A  FAR  COUNTRY.  459 

versal  among  incomers  in  these  high  regions.  .  .  . 
Here  I  found  a  most  remarkable  Timothy,  in  the 
person  of  a  young  Presbyterian  minister,  who  has 
the  '  Parables '  and  '  Life  of  Hamilton '  on  his  shelf. 
He  has  done  everything  for  me — devoted  himself  to 
me.  Brought  me  a  homoepathic  to  treat  me,  who 
announced  that  it  was  not  good  to  subdue  suddenly, 
and  gave  his  jdrops  accordingly.  It  did  stop  by 
degrees ;  but  a  bit  was  taken  out  of  my  time,  and  I 
had  made  up  my  mind  to  return  homeward. 

" .  .  .  .  This  morning  at  breakfast  the  tide 
turned  again.  It  had  been  flowing  eastward  for  the 
last  two  days.  Three  angels  stood  up  beside  me  as 
I  sat  solitary  in  a  great  room,  meditating  the  task  of 
taking  some  breakfast  (plenty  in  the  room,  though  I 
was  solitary),  three  Independent  ministers — Storr, 
of  Brooklyn,  Warren,  San  Francisco,  and  one  be- 
longing to  Sacramento — noble  and  noble-looking 
men.  I  cannot  now  tell  you  all  about  their  loving 
brotherly  communication.  If  what  I  have  printed 
should  have  done  no  more,  it  has  gained  me  a  good 
place  in  the  hearts  of  many  good  men.  Storr 
announced  that  they  were  to  start  this  afternoon 
(3.45)  for  San  Francisco,  and  that  I  must  go  with 
them.  I  pleaded  recent  illness  and  continued  lack 
of  appetite.  He  says,  '  I  have  something  to  make 
you  well.'  He  gave  me  his  drops  then  and  there, 
and  the  dose  was  immediately  exhilarating.  I  took 
a  bit  of  beef  steak  and  some  tea.  I  have  since 
repeated  the  dose,  and  have  now  no  nausea.     Partly 


460  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap.  xi. 

my  revived  health,  partly  such  company,  and  partly 
their  information  that  in  the  slope  of  California, 
which  we  shall  reach  in  thirty-six  hours,  it  is  the 
best  season  of  the  year — cool  and  healthful — I  have 
as  good  as  resolved  to  go  with  them." 

"  Omaha,  Western  Bank  op  Missouri  River, 
Eastern  Terminus  of  Pacific  Railway, 
Sabbath,  21st  September  1873. 

"  Here  beginneth,  after  a  long  blank,  the  historic 
series  of  notules, — because  here  and  now  such 
series  becometh  possible  again. 

"  The  rush  and  rattle  have  been,  I  hope,  in  a 
large  measure  thrown  behind  me.  I  feel  here  as 
if  I  were  reasonably  near  home.  Yesterday  at 
two  we  arrived  here,  having  started  from  San 
Francisco  on  Tuesday  morning  at  seven.  The 
fatigue  was  not  great,  but  it  was  long.  We  slept 
pretty  well,  lolled  and  chatted  and  walked  about 
by  turns  during  the  day.     .     .     . 

"  Mr.  T.  induced  me  to  call  on  a  Presbyterian 
minister  last  night,  and  I  have  consented  to  preach 
this  evening.  This  place  is  quiet  and  pleasant ; 
large  straggling  embryo  city,  the  Missouri  sweeping 
semiciroularly  round  it,  entertaining  hopes  of  vast 
destinies  in  the  near  future.  The  grand  want  of 
America  is  repose.  Perhaps  the  multitudinous 
judgments  of  God,  covering  the  land  like  the 
waves  of  the  sea,  and  springing  all  directly  from 
the  restless  pride  and  covetousness  of  an  ungodly 


chap.  xi.  RETURN  TO  NEW  YORK.  461 

people,  may  some  day  prevail  to  give  the  nation 
pause,  to  compel  it  to  take  breath  and  take  its 
bearings.  The  text  for  the  time  in  America  is : 
'  Be  still,  and  know  that  I  am  God.' 

"  I  love  our  own  land  as  a  home,  for  this 
among  other  reasons,  that  it  is  a  little  one.  I  have 
long  believed  that  the  human  family  have  a  much 
more  comfortable  home  on  this  planet  than  they 
could  have  had  on,  say  Jupiter  or  any  of  the  huger 
lumps.  On  the  same  principle,  a  country  of  limited 
dimensions  is  better  than  a  continent. 

"  26th  September. 

"  ....  I  have  been  thinking  of  you  in 
your  particular  grief  at  present,  on  account  of  not 
hearing  from  me.  I  have  been  praying  for  you, 
in  particular  that  your  longing  for  good  news 
from  this  far  country  may  draw  down  cold  waters 
to  your  thirsty  soul  from  a  better  source,  so  that 
in  seeking  to  entertain  me  in  your  heart  you  may 
'  entertain  angels  unawares.' 

"The  New  York  meetings  are  near,  and  I  am 
now  able  for  them.  So  of  three  great  aims  we 
shall  probably  gain  two, — the  sight  of  the  boys, 
and  the  Christian  meetings  at  New  York.  My 
sight  of  the  continent  has  been  partially  marred, 
but  we  can  surmount  that  loss." 

"  New  York,  1st  October  1873. 
" .     .     .     .     Grand  drive  through    the  park  yes- 


462  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.         chap.  xi. 

terday  afternoon.  Trees  and  grass  very  green  still. 
All  fresh  and  fascinating. 

"«.  ...  A  considerable  menagerie  in  the  cor- 
ner of  the  park.  Plenty  of  noble  bears — a  sea  lion, 
who  kept  up  a  constant  melancholy  cry  in  his  pond, 
where  he  had  hardly  room  to  turn  his  huge  bulk — 
lions,  as  usual,  wonderfully  quiet  and  dignified. 
How  sublimely  indifferent  the  brute  is  to  all  the 
hubbub  of  monkeys,  and  elephants,  and  women,  and 
children  below.  Several  of  them  lay  with  their 
backs  to  us,  slumberously  looking  with  half  closed 
eyes  on  the  setting  sun  through  windows  in  the 
back  of  their  cage. 

"  Another  menagerie  I  visited  with  less  profit  in 
the  evening — a  reception  of  all  foreign  men  at  Dr. 
Schaff's.  A  mob  as  usual,  in  the  midst  of  which 
I  stood  and  bawled  till  I  was  out  of  breath,  and 
then  sought  a  seat  in  a  corner 

"  The  Government  schools  should  endow  a  lion's 
den  in  every  village,  and  make  it  incumbent  on 
Young  America  to  stand  half-an-hour  every  day  in 
front  of  the  royal  brute  to  learn  repose  and 
dignity.  How  grand  and  solid  the  mien  of  the 
beast  —  how  like  a  mountain  ;  how  small  and 
frisky  the  men — how  like  a  potash  bottle  always 
going  off  1 

" .  .  .  .  I  go  out  to  make  all  my  calls  to-day. 
I  shall  then  endeavour  to  give  a  good  deal  of  at- 
tention to  the  meetings.  I  hope  a  little,  but  have 
anxiety  about  any  fruit.     We  need  to  go  to  this  city 


chap.  xi.  ALLIANCE  MEETINGS.  463 

and  continue  there  ten  days,  and  make  gain  in  our 
profession;  for  we  are  poor  and  times  are  hard. 

"  7th  October. 

"  The  meetings  and  work  of  the  Alliance  made 
their  mark  deep  and  broad  in  New  York,  and 
throughout  the  States.  I  feared  at  first  that  when 
the  novelty  was  over,  the  sessions  would  be  neg- 
lected. But  this  anticipation  was  signally  re- 
versed. The  interest  grew  like  the  swelling  of  a 
stream  up  to  the  last.  At  first,  two  sessions  were 
held  simultaneously  in  separate  but  contiguous  halls 
or  churches ;  then  three,  and  latterly  four,  or  even 
five.  All  were  filled,  and  the  audience  was  uni- 
formly grave  and  attentive.  No  restlessness,  no 
weariness,  no  interruptions.  The  audience  always 
behaved  better  than  I  have  ever  seen  audiences 
behaving  in  our  own  country 

"  On  Sabbath,  I  had  a  full  day.  Preached  in  Dr. 
Rogers  (Dutch  Reformed)  in  the  morning — Com- 
munion Sabbath.  Vast  church  like  a  cathedral,  with 
great  painted  windows.  Grand  audience  crowded 
everywhere.  '  To  me  to  live  is  Christ,'  etc.  Also 
gave  address  at  Communion  table.  At  two  dined 
with  Alexander  Stewart  close  by ;  got  a  rest  half- 
an-hour  on  a  sofa.  Then  to  Dr.  Hall's  Church : 
Communion  there  too ;  but  interval,  and  Communion 
alone  in  the  afternoon.  Officiating  ministers — Dr. 
Hall  in  the  middle,  Bishop  of  Kentucky  on  his  left, 
and  myself   on  his  right.      Dr.   Hall,    introductory 


464  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  A  KNOT.         chap.  xi. 

part  and  distributing  bread.  Then  address  by  the 
Bishop,  distributing  the  cup.  I  confess  to  a  thrill 
of  joy  as  I  received  the  cup  from  his  hands — a 
symptom  of  approaches  of  disciples  to  each  other 
through  or  over  the  ridiculous  barriers  that  have 
been  set  up,  and  that  have  kept  brothers  from  em- 
bracing for  ages I  then  gave  the  con- 
cluding address  from  the  pulpit.  Church  grand  and 
full,  and,  I  think,  somewhat  tender. 

"Then  tea  at  Dr.  Hall's.  At  6.30,  off  to  Stein- 
way  Hall,  one  of  five  places  open  that  evening  for 
close  of  Alliance.  Grand  meeting — in  good  state  of 
mind — by  far  the  best  meeting  for  me,  for  there  were 
not  many  speakers.      I  was  called  early,  and  was  not 

limited  as  to  time I  was  free  to  speak 

to  the  people,  as  ready  to  depart  on  the  morrow ; 
and  if  I  did  not  prolong  my  speech  till  midnight,  I 
at  least  prolonged  it  sufficiently  to  put  in  a  good 
deal  of  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  in  a  form 
adapted  to  the  farewell  and  the  Sabbath. 

"  Left  that  hall  immediately  and  went  to  Academy 
of  Music  ;  largest  place  and  chief  meeting  of  the 
Alliance.  Alas !  I  am  bound  to  confess  it  was 
grievously  mismanaged.  The  arrangement  was  a 
long  array  of  five-minutes'  speeches  from  all  the 
nationalities.  At  a  meeting  held  on  Saturday  after- 
noon to  arrange,  I  made  an  effort  to  change  the 
plan.  I  suggested  that  in  the  vast  hall — a  theatre 
with  pit  and  three  galleries — the  Germans,  French, 
Dutch,  &c,   speaking  broken  English,  could  not  be 


chap.  xi.  CLOSE  OF  ALLIANCE.  465 


heard  or  understood ;  that  men  called  to  speak  for 
their  nation  must  necessarily  introduce  what  was 
below  the  Sabbath  evening,  and  below  the  appetite 
and  expectation  of  the  audience.  .  .  .  But  the 
scheme  was  all  cut  and  dry,  and  must  stand. 

"  When  I  entered  the  hall,  the  sight  was  grand 
and  solemnizing  beyond  description.  In  the  audi- 
ence always  there  Avas  something  that  surprised 
and  arrested  me.  There  was  a  sedate,  contented, 
yet  animated  and  expectant  sea  of  human  counte- 
nances.    Complete  silence  and  gravity  over  all  the 

vast  area 

"  I  was  soon  called.  Five  minutes  was  the  an- 
nounced rule.  I  confess  to  a  great  gi'ief  in  being 
prevented  from  letting  out  my  heart  to  that  as- 
sembly. As  it  was,  I  was  determined  to  introduce 
no  small  talk  about  Scotland  and  America.  I 
attempted  to  put  in  a  portion  of  what  I  had 
spoken  half-an-hour  before ;  but  the  matter  was 
large  and   the   hole   small,   and   I   failed   to   get  it 

pushed  through — failed  altogether 

"  Last  of  all,  Dr.  Adams  prayed,  and  that  brought 
us  back  on  a  sudden  from  earth  to  heaven.  I  was 
sitting  next  him,  and  enjoyed  the  privilege  of 
holding  the  prophet's  staff.      He  gave  it  to  me  to 

keep  till  he  was  done 

"  But  notwithstanding  individual  portions  coarse 
and  knotty,  the  web  of  the  meetings,  on  the  whole, 
was  of  grand  and  goodly  texture.     The  general  im- 
pression was  deep  ;  and  we  all  hope  that  something 
2  G 


46Q 


MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap. 


has  been  done  for  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  in  the 
world." 

To  George  H.  Stuart,  Esq. 

"Edinburgh,  3d  December  1873. 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Stuart,— I  ought  to  have  reported 
progress  sooner.  I  sailed  from  New  York  in  the 
steamer  'Baltic'  on  Saturday,  18th  October,  and 
arrived  in  Liverpool  on  Tuesday,  28th.  An  exquisite 
passage  ;  it  could  not  have  been  better  in  July.  We 
had  nine  or  ten  Alliance  men,  and  the  company  was 
very  pleasant.     I  found  all  well  at  home. 

"At  Queenstown,  on  Monday  night,  Irish  news- 
papers came  on  board.  I  was  listlessly  glancing 
over  paragraphs  in  one  of  them,  when  my  eye  fell  on 
one  of  two  and  a-half  lines— thus  :  '  At  the  funeral 
of  Dr.  Candlish,  yesterday,  in  Edinburgh,  the  pro- 
cession was  nearly  a  mile  long.'  It  blinded  me  like 
a  flash  of  lightning  in  my  face.  It  was  the  first  inti- 
mation to  me  of  our  great  bereavement.  Edinburgh 
seems  naked  and  empty  since. 

"  Many  beautiful  things  are  told  of  his  faith,  and 
love,  and  child-like  demeanour  towards  the  close.  I 
must  tell  you  a  thing  that  he  said  of  myself,  that  I 
count  a  very  precious  legacy.  I  tell  it  word  for  word, 
as  reported  to  me  by  Dr.  Benjamin  Bell,  his  medical 
attendant,  who  heard  it,  and  by  Mrs.  Candlish. 

"  His  mind  was  wandering  ;  he  thought  he  was  in 
some  meeting  of  Presbytery  or  Assembly.  Suddenly 
and  sharply,  after  a  pause,  he  said,  <  That's  Arnot ;  I 


chap.  xi.  DEA  TH  OF  DR.  CANDLISH.  467 

want  to  hear  what  he  is  saying.'  I  should  explain 
that  for  years  past  he  has  suffered  from  deafness, 
and  that  he  is  in  the  habit,  in  the  Assembly,  of 
bolting  over  from  side  to  side  of  the  house,  and 
sitting  close  to  the  person  who  is  speaking.  His 
son  took  occasion  to  say,  '  Do  you  love  Arnot  ? '  His 
reply  I  give  you  literatim,  although  it  is  not  very 
consistent  with  modesty  for  me  to  tell  it.  '  Love 
him?  who  would  not  love  Arnot?  I  love  him  as 
a  brother.'  These  words  have  distilled  like  oil  to 
soothe  other  ruffliugs  ever  since,  all  the  more 
that  they  were  spoken  while  the  intellect  was 
beclouded,  and  judgment  not  sitting  on  watch  to 
restrain  the  expression  of  the  heart's  thoughts. 

"  We  are  sore  broken.  Guthrie  and  Candlish 
removed  in  one  year ;  and  we  are  ashamed  before  all 
the  church  throughout  the  world,  that  we  had  not 
grace  to  go  through  with  the  union  after  labouring 
on  it  for  ten  years.  I  suspect  the  failure  must  be 
attributed  to  that  old  root  of  bitterness,  'ye  are 
yet  carnal.'" 

Many  of  Mr.  Arnot's  friends  on  both  sides  ot  the 
question  believed  that  now,  as  he  was  growing 
older,  his  zeal  for  the  temperance  cause  was  on  the 
wane.  This  was  by  no  means  the  case ;  his 
opinions  on  the  subject  remained  unchanged  to  the 
end,  and  as  it  was  one  which  he  himself  considered 
of  great  importance,  the  following  letter,  in  reply  to 
a  remonstrance  addressed  to  him,  is  inserted,  for  the 


458  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  xi. 


purpose  of  explaining  his  true  position  with  regard 
to  it  at  this  period. 

"  5th  July  1S73. 

"Dear  Sir, — You  must  not  expect  a  detailed 
reply — I  have  so  many  letters  to  write. 

"I  have  been  accustomed  all  my  days  to  much 
misconstruction  and  misrepresentations,  both  by 
abstainers  and  drinkers.  I  cannot  have  abandoned 
abstinence  principles,  for  I  never  held  any.  My 
principle  always  was  temperance ;  and,  as  a  means, 
one  means  of  helping  it,  I  practised  abstinence  for 
somewhere  about  twenty-five  years. 

"  Some  years  ago  I  was  so  much  vexed  by  taunts 
— well  founded,  I  fear— that  men,  whose  names 
stood  with  mine  on  published  documents  as  ab- 
stainers, took  drink  as  freely  as  other  people,  that  I 
determined,  about  a  couple  of  years  ago,  to  cease  to 
make  public  profession  in  association  with  others  of 
abstinence.  I  would  not  walk  through  Coventry 
any  more. 

"  I  work  as  eagerly  as  ever  against  the  drink 
traffic  and  the  drinking  customs.  I  hope  to  do  so  to 
the  end.  But  although  my  actual  drinking  is  at 
present  almost  nothing,  and  even  that  little  would 
probably  be  accounted  by  most  people  not  an  in- 
toxicating drink  at  all,  and  probably  will  be  less — 
indeed,  it  is  at  present,  and  likely  will  be,  total 
abstinence,  as  understood  by  any  society  that  I  was 
ever  connected  with — I  think  it  better  that  a  man 


chap.  xr.  MOODY  AND  SANKEY.  469 

on  the  verge  of  sixty-five  should  keep  his  name  out 
of  paraded  lists  of  abstainers,  than  expose  himself  to 
the  sneer  of  adversaries,  if  he  should  at  any  time 
need  stimulants. 

"  I  don't,  alas  !  expect  to  satisfy  zealous  abstainers ; 
but  I  would  put  myself  to  some  trouble  to  avoid 
being  a  stumbling-block  to  young  men.  I  retain 
all  my  former  opinions  about  drinking ;  and  do  all  I 
can  by  my  life  to  enforce  them. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

Towards  the  close  of  the  year  1873,  the  two 
American  evangelists,  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey, 
paid  their  first  visit  to  Edinburgh.  Reports  of  their 
labours  in  other  places  had  preceded  them,  and  they 
were  e.ngerly  welcomed  on  their  arrival.  Christians 
of  all  denominations  looked  forward  to  their  visit 
with  hopeful,  prayerful  anticipation.  And  the  result 
was  far  beyond  the  expectations  of  the  most  san- 
guine. It  pleased  the  Lord,  in  answer  to  the  prayers 
of  His  people,  to  pour  out  a  very  rich  blessing  over 
the  city  and  over  all  the  country  in  connection  with 
the  labours  of  these  strangers.  Their  meetings  in 
Edinburgh  were  largely  attended  from  the  very  first, 
and  increased,  till  the  Free  Church  Assembly  Hall 
could  not  contain  the  half  of  those  who  came 
together,  two  and  three  times  a-day,  to  hear  the 
Gospel  proclaimed.  One  remarkable  feature  of  the 
movement  was  the  quietness  and  sobriety  which 
characterised  all  the  proceedings,  and  the  absence  of 


470  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap,  xi 

the  physical  excitement  and  sensationalism  often  so 
largely  mixed  up  with  any  extensive  revival.  The 
co-operation  of  ministers  of  the  Gospel  and  other 
experienced  Christians  was  invited  and  welcomed 
by  the  evangelists,  and  the  extent  to  which  their 
help  was  accorded  in  the  meetings,  and  especially  in 
after  dealing  with  those  who  had  been  awakened, 
no  doubt  tended  largely  to  this  result.  Another 
distinguishing  feature  was  the  prominence  then,  for 
the  first  time  in  this  country,  given  to  the  ministry 
of  song.  It  surprised  many,  and  shocked  not  a  few, 
when  it  was  publicly  announced  that,  at  the  meet- 
ings to  be  held,  Mr.  Moody  would  preach,  and  Mr. 
Sankey  would  sing,  the  Gospel;  but  ere  long  the 
expression  was  understood  and  appreciated.  The 
sweet  voice  of  the  singer  compelled  the  attention  of 
the  most  indifferent  to  the  simple  pointed  words  of 
the  Gospel  hymns  he  sang;  and,  the  heart  once 
touched,  the  door  was  open  for  the  fuller  instruction 
which  could  find  no  entrance  before.  And  not  the 
smallest  result  of  Mr.  Sankey's  work  among  us,  was 
the  stirring  up  of  many  others  who  possessed  similar 
gifts,  to  go  and  dio  likewise — to  lay  out  this  talent, 
too,  in  the  service  of  the  Lord. 

As  might  be  expected,  Mr.  Arnot  was  one  of  the 
first  to  throw  himself,  heart  and  soul,  into  the  work. 
His  assistance  was  given  heartily  and  joyfully,  up  to, 
and  often  beyond,  the  measure  of  his  strength.  He 
found  it  all  but  impossible  to  refuse  an  invitation  to 
help  at  one  of  these  meetings,  where  God's  hand  was 


chap.  xi.        MONDA  Y  ERA  YER  MEETING.  471 

so  evidently  and  so  mightily  at  work ;  and  many  a 
time  when  lie  went  out  in  great  bodily  weariness,  he 
would  return  full  of  joy  and  gratitude. 

He  also  wrote  occasional  notices  of  the  work  both 
for  the  Family  Treasury,  and  also  for  an  American 
paper,  the  Illustrated  Cliristian  Weekly,  to  which  he 
was,  from  the  time  of  his  last  visit  to  America,  a 
frequent  contributor.  In  a  letter  to  Mr.  Geo.  H. 
Stuart  of  Philadelphia,  he  says : — 

"  The  noon  daily  prayer  meeting  goes  on  all  the 
same  in  the  absence  of  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey ; 
the  work  spreads  through  the  city  and  the  country. 
I  mentioned  in  the  meeting  to-day  that  I  had 
a  letter  from  you,  that  you  are  praying  for  us, 
and  longing  to  get  news  of  our  work.  An  immense 
progress  has  been  made,  during  these  three  months, 
in  the  process  of  binding  all  hearts  here  to  our 
brother  disciples  in  the  States.  The  visit  of  the 
Alliance  to  you  in  the  autumn,  and  the  return  visit 
of  your  evangelists  to  us  in  the  winter,  I  think,  have 
been  arranged  by  the  hand  of  our  Father  in  heaven; 
so  that  by  reciprocal  intercourse  in  giving  and  re- 
ceiving the  word  of  life,  we  might  at  the  same  time 
be  lifted  up  to  our  Head  on  high,  and  drawn  closer 
to  each  other." 

To  Rev.  Robert  Robinson. 

"20th  January  1874. 

"  My  DEAR  Sir, — I  don't  need  to  consider  long.     I 


472  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap,  xi 

am  at  once  ready  to  place  myself  at  your  disposal 
for  13th  May ;  for  in  large  measure,  at  New  York 
last  autumn,  and  in  much  larger  measure  in  Edin- 
burgh to-day,  the  Lord  is  showing  us  that  He  is 
ready  to  give  a  richer  blessing  to  His  disciples  when 
they  meet  simply  as  His  disciples,  without  any  other 
distinctive  mark.  I  presided  to-day  nearly  two 
hours,  beginning  at  noon,  at  an  overflowing  and 
high-toned  meeting  in  my  own  church  ;  the  overflow- 
ings of  the  prayer-meeting  (daily  in  our  Assembly 
Hall  next  door).  It  was  good  to  be  there !  My 
body  is  wearied  ;  but  my  heart  is  full.  The  rending 
here  is  going  deep,  and  reaching  all,  to  the  high 
places.  Great  pulses  of  this  movement  are  reported 
in   Glasgow  and  other  cities. 

"  But  it  is  my  duty  to  add  a  codicil  to  this  my 
will  on  the  case.  I  might  hope,  the  Lord  helping 
me,  to  preach  the  Gospel  with  pleasure  to  myself, 
and  even  with  some  profit  to  those  who  hear ;  but 
I  cannot  get  up  an  expectation  of  any  tolerable 
audience.  Observe,  this  is  not  a  bit  of  modesty 
about  myself;  that  sort  of  thing  is  not  worth  my 
while.  It  belongs  to  the  fact  that  for  long  I  have 
not  preached  in  London,  and  am  hardly  known 
there.  I  know  that  the  audience  will  be  small.  It 
is  only  on  one  side  that  I  would  count  that  worth 
mentioning,  this,  viz.,  it  will  fail  to  accomplish  the 
important  subsidiary  objects  which  on  that  occasion 
it  is  your  duty  to  have  in  view. 


chap.  xi.       PREACHING  WITHOUT  NOTES.  473 

"  I  am  willing,  without  reply,  to  hold  myself 
engaged,  D.V." 

JOURNAL. 

"27th  July  1874.  —  Another  great  change  has 
taken  place  in  the  method  of  my  preaching.  The  for- 
mer change  dates  from  1855.  Previous  to  that  date 
I  did  not  use  any  MS.,  except  the  briefest  notes, 
jots  of  headings  and  chief  points.  By  request 
of  the  elders  of  St.  Peter's  I  began  to  read  my 
sermons ;  and  adhered  to  that  method  mainly  till 
August  last  year,  exactly  a  year  ago.  Since  that 
time  I  have  never  once  read  a  sermon.  It  did  not 
come  in  the  form  of  a  resolution.  It  was  not  a  plan. 
I  went  to  America  in  the  autumn,  to  attend  the  con- 
ference of  the  Evangelical  Alliance  at  New  York.  I 
enjoyed  there  many  grand  opportunities  of  preach- 
ing. I  began  to  preach  there  without  notes,  liked  it, 
and  continued  it.  I  experienced,  as  it  were,  an 
emancipation,  and  was  not  inclined  to  go  back  into 
bondage.  I  think,  taking  the  people  overhead,  this 
method  is  at  least  as  acceptable  ;  and  for  the  work 
either  of  conversion  or  edification,  I  am  convinced  it 
is  more  profitable.  The  preparation  for  ordinary 
home  work  is  a  shade  easier.  In  kind  the  work  is  far 
sweeter ;  the  Saturday  is  more  like  a  Sabbath  ;  a 
hearty  study  of  the  Scripture,  in  which  I  often  take 
great  delight,  and  not  the  mechanical  work  of  com- 
position. But,  on  the  other  hand,  when  I  go  from 
home  or  preach  in  my  own  church  an  old  sermon, 


474  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  xj. 

the  labour  of  preparation  is  much  greater.  Instead 
of  taking  my  MS.  in  my  pocket,  I  must  have  the 
whole  subject  written  on  my  heart  and  mind.     .    .    . 

''I  suppose  the  general  awakening  which  has 
taken  place,  and  is  still  subsisting,  has  also  helped 
to  keep  me  going  in  the  way  that  I  began  in 
America.  To  speak  instead  of  reading  my  dis- 
courses seems  more  accordant  with  the  expectation 
of  the  listeners  and  with  the  air  of  the  place.  In- 
stinct seems  silently  to  determine  that  it  is  more 
congruous  with  the  times  and  the  circumstances. 

"  In  connection  with  this,  it  occurs  to  me  to 
record  here  an  interesting  discovery  that  I  made 
about  two  months  ago.  It  was  made  on  this  wise. 
I  was  taking  a  solitary  walk  to  the  west  of  my  own 
house  on  a  Saturday.  Near  Merchiston  Castle,  a 
band  of  boys  were  playing  cricket  in  a  field.  A 
friend  was  standing  on  the  street  observing  the 
play,  and  I  stopped  and  conversed  with  him.  Look- 
ing to  the  boys,  I  explained  to  him,  that  though 
I  could  see  the  colour  of  every  cap,  could  see  the 
faces  of  the  boys,  I  yet  could  not  distinguish 
features  so  as  to  know  whether  my  own  boy  was 
among  them.  He  took  off  his  spectacles  and  re- 
quested me  to  try  them.  I  tried,  and  lo !  the  boys' 
faces  and  features  came  out  in  complete  distinct- 
ness, and  all  the  landscape  burst  into  view.  The 
bushes  on  the  Braid  Hills  leapt  into  individual  out- 
line :  it  was  a  new  world.  I  am  short-sighted  and 
did  not  know  it.      On  Monday  I  bought  a  pair  of 


chap.  xi.  DEATH  OF  PRINCIPAL  FAIRBAIRN.        475 

spectacles  with  convex  glasses.  On  Tuesday  I  was 
engaged  to  address  a  great  evangelistic  meeting 
in  the  City  Hall  of  Perth.  I  tried  my  glasses,  and 
to  my  glad  surprise,  instead  of  speaking  into 
vacancy,  I  could  see  every  face  in  the  assembly ; 
could  trace  the  shadow  of  my  own  thoughts  flitting 
over  the  countenances  of  the  more  ardent  listeners. 
This  benefit  still  remains  when  I  preach  at  home ; 
but  it  is  in  some  measure  diminished  by  an  incapacity 
to  bear  the  look,  the  meeting  of  face  to  face. 

"  Principal  Fairbairn  died  suddenly  about  ten 
days  ago.  I  attended  the  funeral,  which  was  in 
Edinburgh.  He  was  a  man  greatly  beloved.  .  .  . 
Style  not  brilliant,  but  great  good  sense,  that  never 
failed  him,  and  a  sound  knowledge  over  a  very 
wide  sphere  of  subjects.  A  substantial  loss  to  the 
Free  Church.  Another  perceptible  blank  that  will 
not  all  at  once  be  filled." 

The  above  is  the  closing  entry  in  his  "  Journal 
of  Miscellaneous  Events."  In  his  more  private  diary, 
the  last  entry  bears  the  same  date,  27th  July  1874, 
and  is  as  follows  : — 

"Called  to  Blairgowrie  a  fortnight  since  for  two 
days  of  evangelistic  work.  Fine  meetings  :  many 
inquirers. 

"Mr.  White,  from  Innellan,  now  minister  there, 
told  me  of  this  case.  He  was  visiting  a  shepherd's 
family  far  back  in  the  hills  behind  Innellan.  Found 
the   shepherd's  wife  a   quiet,  thoughtful,    Christian 


476  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   IV.  ARNOT.         chap.  xi. 

woman.  She  requested  him  to  procure  for  her  my 
volume  on  the  Parables.  She  resided  formerly- 
near  St.  Mary's  Loch.  Heard  me  preach  in  a 
little  chapel  on  the  shore  on  the  Parable  of  the 
Sower.  This  was  the  means  of  her  conversion. 
That  must  have  been  fifteen  years  since.  He 
entered  into  conversation  with  her  on  the  subject, 
and  found  that  she  had  an  intelligent  idea  of  the 
substance  of  my  exposition  of  the  parable." 

"  Bread  cast  on  the  waters,  and  found  again  after 
many  days — found  with  rejoicing,  and  the  finding 
recorded  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  encourage- 
ment of  his  servant." 

Looking  back  to  the  previous  page,  we  find — 

"  1st  May  1874. — Within  eleven  days  of  a  year 
since  last  entry !  The  shortest  year  that  has 
ever  rolled  over  my  head.  But  I  do  not  reproach 
myself  for  neglect  of  this  book.  I  have  other  work 
in  hand.     The  year  has  been  busy  and  eventful.    .    . 

"  Great  awakening  in  Edinburgh  and  Scotland 
during  the  winter.  I  have  shared  somewhat  in  the 
refreshing " 

Then,  after  some  notes  of  one  and  another  of  his 
children,  the  marriage  of  his  two  eldest  daughters 
during  the  previous  year,  and  the  prospects  of  the 
boys,  the  entry  closes  thus  : — 

"The  four  eldest  are  now  separated  from  this 
roof.  The  family  consists  of  ourselves  and  the  five 
younger  children,  the  youngest  now  eight  years 
and  a-half." 


chap.  xi.     LAST  VISIT  TO  FORGANDENNY.  ATI 

Of  the  year  that  remains  we  have  no  record  what- 
ever from  his  own  pen.  It,  too,  was  a  busy  one. 
He  continued  to  take  a  large  share  in  the  evangel- 
istic work  which  was  still  carried  on  with  vigour 
in  the  city.  He  was  privileged  to  see  much  fruit 
from  this  revival,  both  in  his  congregation  and  in 
his  family.  His  heart  was  encouraged  by  this,  and 
his  hands  strengthened,  and  as  he  tells  us  that  his 
own  soul  shared  too  in  the  refreshing,  we  may  well 
believe  that  he  had  at  this  time  an  unusual  measure 
of  "joy  in  the  Lord." 

In  August  he  paid  bis  last  visit  to  Forgandenny. 
The  following  note  was  written  a  few  days  previously, 
to  the  lady  whose  guest  he  was  to  be : — 

"  To  Miss  Bruce,  Kilgraston." 

"  IZth  August  1874. 

"MY  DEAR  MlSS  Bruce. — In  the  process  of  pre- 
paration for  last  Sabbath's  work,  I  came  upon  the 
words  '  He  came  to  Nazareth,  where  he  had  been 
brought  up,'  etc.,  and  a  desire  crept  into  my  heart 
in  connection  with  them,  to  preach  the  word  in 
the  very  old  parish  church  where  I  was  brought 
up.  I  do  not  know  if  you  have  easy  access  to 
the  minister  of  Forgandenny  Parish ;  or  whether 
there  is  enough  of  time  now,  even  though  the 
doors  were  open.  Suffice  it  to  let  you  know  that 
I    would    very    gladly    give    a    word    in    the  parish 


478  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  xi. 

church  on  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  or  Thursday 
evening,  next  week,  if  arrangements  could  be  made 
and  intimated.  If  it  do  not  come  easy,  let  it  be 
postponed  till  a  better  time. — Yours  affectionately, 

William  Arnot." 

In  the  autumn  he  once  more  spent  a  month  in 
continental  travel,  accompanied  by  two  of  his 
daughters  and  another  young  lady.  Though  the 
route  traversed — up  the  Rhine  to  Switzerland,  and 
home  by  Paris  and  London — was  for  the  most  part 
well  known  to  him,  he  seems  to  have  felt  as  keen 
enjoyment  in  the  varied  scenes  as  his  young  com- 
panions, to  whom  it  was  all  new.  No  doubt  the 
witnessing  of  their  pleasure  contributed  as  much 
to  his  enjoyment  as  his  ready  happy  sympathy 
did  to  theirs. 

During  the  winter  he  lectured  once  more  in 
Exeter  Hall  to  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation. His  subject  was  "The  Foe  and  the  Fight; 
or,  the  Trinity  of  Evil," — Belial  (vice),  Infidel  (un- 
belief), Idols  (superstition)  ;  (2  Cor.  vii.  15  16.) 

Throughout  the  winter  his  strength  declined 
steadily,  but  so  gradually,  that  it  was  only  on 
looking  back  over  a  considerable  period  that  the 
difference  could  be  observed. 

To  James  Smitiison,  Esq. 

"12th  January  1875. 

"My   DEAR  Sir, — I  am   much   interested,    almost 


ENGAGEMENTS.  479 


startled,  by  your  communication.  An  engagement 
made  now  for  November !  It  is  a  long  line,  as  human 
things  go.  I  am  willing  to  accept  it  as  the  measure 
of  the  benefit  which  you  derived  from  last  con- 
ference, and  expect  from  the  next. 

"  I  most  cordially  accept  your  invitation ;  only 
the  usual  D.V.  must  in  this  case  be  'writ  large.' 
'  If  the  Lord  will'  I  shall  be  with  you. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

It  was  not  the  Lord's  will  that  this  engagement 
should  be  fulfilled.  Many  months  before,  He  had 
called  His  faithful  servant  home. 

To  Archibald  Constable,  Esq. 

"  20th  March  1875. 

"  Dear  Sir, — I  have  just  received  your  note,  con- 
veying a  request  that  I  should  preach  to  the  Confer- 
ence on  Reformatories  in  the  end  of  May.  Although 
it  is  Saturday  night,  I  am  inclined  to  answer  im- 
mediately, and  to  answer  Yes.  This  is  perhaps  the 
best  time  to  decide ;  for  by  the  preparation  for  to- 
morrow, which  is  now  finished,  a  certain  impulse  is 
communicated — a  run  race  which  produces  a  momen- 
tum sufficient  to  enable  me  to  leap  a  canal,  at  which 
1  might  halt  and  hesitate  at  a  colder  moment. 

"  I  recognise  myself  to  be  one  of  few  who  stand 
on  a  narrow  belt  of  time,  who  have  had  long,  large 
experience,  and  are  yet  able-bodied,  who  ought  to 


480  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap,  xl 

be  able  to  do  that  kind  of  work,  and  willing  to  do 
what  they  can — at  least,  we  should  readily  yield 
ourselves  '  as  instruments  of  righteousness  unto 
God.' 

"  I  think  I  comprehend  the  specific  work  that  is 
required  of  me — to  bring  the  Gospel  to  bear  on 
reformatory  work,  for  motive,  direction,  reproof,  and 
encouragement  to  the  workers. 

"I  commit  myself  now  with  the  usual  D.V.,  be- 
cause I  recognise  it  as  my  duty ;  although  some  fear 
and  trembling  may  afterwards  spring  up. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

To  Archibald  Constable,  Esq. 

"  lith  May  1875. 

"  DEAR  Sir, — It  was  with  a  D. V.  that  I  consented, 
on  20th  March,  to  preach  to  the  Conference.  A 
barrier  has  intervened.  My  strength  has  leaked 
out  this  spring  as  never  before.  I  am  always  ill 
after  preaching,  and  can  hardly  struggle  through 
ordinary  duties. 

"  A  rest  of  a  week  or  ten  days  has  become  a 
necessity.  The  Assembly  is  the  only  time.  I  can- 
not leave  town  till  Thursday,  20th.  If  I  must  bear 
this  work  on  my  back,  and  return  on  the  26th  to 
town,  I  fear  I  shall  lose  the  benefit. 

"  Besides,  as  I  am  not  in  a  condition  to  attend  the 
meetings,  I  might  much  miss  the  spirit  of  the  Con- 
ference.    It  is  not  for  me  to  say  whether  you  should 


chap.  xi.  LAST  LETTERS.  481 

quietly  drop  that   item  of  the    programme,  or  ask 
another — say  Mr.  Wells  of  Glasgow — to  take  it  up. 

"I  anxiously  assure  you  that  I  am  not  accustomed 
to  resile  from  engagements.  The  weakness  under 
which  I  suffer  seems  new  in  my  experience. — Yours, 

William  Arnot." 

The  above  is  the  last  letter  copied  into  his  book. 
The  last  which  he  wrote  was  from  Pitlochrie  to  the 
Rev.  James  Candlish,  regarding  the  application 
which  was  to  come  before  the  Assembly,  in  his  name, 
for  a  colleague  and  successor. 


2  H 


CHAPTEE    XII. 

npHE  expediency  of  getting  a  colleague  to  assist 
him  in  the  ministry  had  been  a  frequent 
subject  of  conversation  between  him  and  some 
of  his  office-bearers ;  and  at  a  meeting  in  Novem- 
ber 1874,  the  proposal  was  formally  made  and 
approved  of. 

It  was  neither  on  the  ground  of  failing  health,  nor 
of  relief  from  pulpit  work,  that  he  asked  for  this 
help,  but  for  the  good  of  the  congregation,  especially 
of  the  young  people.  It  was  in  the  pastoral  over- 
sight of  the  people  that  he  most  painfully  felt  his 
deficiencies.  It  was  a  grief  to  him  to  find  that  he 
was  no  longer  capable  of  conducting  such  classes  of 
young  men  and  young  women  as  used  to  be  his 
most  cherished  and  successful  work. 

In  all  the  arrangements  towards  this  end,  he  made 
it  plain  that  he  did  not  wish  to  burden  either  his 
own  congregation  or  the  church  at  large.  When 
one  of  the  elders  reminded  him  that,  according  to 
the  rules  of  the  church,  he  must  get  a  medical  certi- 

482 


chap.  xii.  FAILING  STRENGTH.  483 

ficate  before  going  to  the  Presbytery,  he  refused  to 
apply  for  one,  saying,  with  his  usual  openness  and 
simplicity,  "  I  do  not  profess  to  ask  for  a  colleague 
on  the  score  of  health ;  therefore  I  do  not  see  the 
need  of  going  through  a  mere  form,  particularly  as 
we  are  not  asking  any  grant  of  money  from  the 
church." 

At  the  monthly  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  in 
January  1875,  the  application  was  made,  and  the 
necessary  steps  taken  for  bringing  it  before  the 
General  Assembly  in  May.  Little  did  he  then  think 
that  by  the  time  it  reached  the  highest  Court  of  the 
Church,  the  need  of  such  an  application  would  be 
only  too  apparent.  He  lived  only  two  days  after  it 
was  sanctioned  by  the  Assembly. 

For  two  or  three  months  before  the  end,  his 
strength  began  to  fail  quite  perceptibly.  He  felt 
great  need  of  some  rest,  and  made  arrangements  to 
take  a  fortnight's  relaxation  during  the  sittings  of 
the  Assembly,  when  his  pulpit  could  be  easily  sup- 
plied. To  friends  outside,  he  let  drop  some  touch- 
ing and  ominous  hints  that  his  life  was  probably 
drawing  to  a  close.  To  one  he  said,  "  I  do  not 
know  whether  it  is  the  spring  season,  or  whether  it 
is  the  autumn  of  my  life ;  but  I  have  never  felt  before 
as  I  do  this  spring."  To  another  he  wrote,  "  The 
strength  has  leaked  out  of  me  this  spring  more  than 
ever  heretofore." 

But  along  with  this  increasing  sense  of  feebleness, 
there  was  an  earnest  desire  to  fulfil  all  the  engage- 


484  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  xn. 

ments  he  had  made  at  a  distance,  which  were  many, 
and  to  press  as  much  work  as  possible  into  the  short 
period  that  might  remain  to  him. 

In  replying  to  an  invitation  to  preach  at  Liberton 
during  April,  which  he  could  not  undertake,  he 
wrote,  "  I  am  standing  on  a  narrow  belt  of  time,  on 
the  '  head  rigg'  at  the  farther  end  of  the  field.  I 
should  not  decline  to  work  while  I  am  yet  able." 

In  this  spirit  he  worked  on  with  a  sweet  humility 
and  growing  ripeness  for  heaven,  manifest  to  all 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  His  head  began  to 
droop  on  his  breast  like  an  ear  of  corn  fully  ripe, 
and  his  clothes  began  to  hang  loosely  on  his  broad 
and  hitherto  sturdy  frame ;  but  though  the  outward 
man  was  perishing,  the  inward  man  was  being  re- 
newed day  by  day. 

We  now  look  back  with  wonder  to  the  amount 
of  work  he  did  that  spring.  He  was  twice  in  Lon- 
don, once  in  Liverpool,  three  different  times  in 
Glasgow,  in  Ireland,  Aberdeen,  Stirling,  &c,  each 
time  preaching,  lecturing,  or  addressing  meetings — 
often  many  times  in  the  same  place.  It  was  also 
a  matter  of  surprise  to  us  that,  subsequent  to  the 
fortnight  which  he  had  set  apart  for  rest,  there  was 
only  one  engagement  entered  in  his  book.  It  was  to 
preach  on  the  Fast-day  in  June  at  Forgandenny,  the 
much-loved  home  of  his  youth.  This  he  offered  to  do, 
and  it  was  the  only  engagement  he  left  unfulfilled. 
From  the  state  of  his  private  papers  also,  we  can 
scarcely  doubt  that   some  inward  monitor  had  said 


chap.  xii.  LAST  COMMUNION.  485 

to  him,   "  Set  thine  house  in  order,  for  thou  shalt  ■ 
die  and  not  live." 

On  the  25th  of  April,  he  administered  the  Sacra- 
ment of  the  Lord's  Supper  for  the  last  time  to  his 
beloved  people.  His  text  was,  "  My  God  shall  supply- 
all  your  need,  according  to  his  riches  in  glory  by 
Christ  Jesus."  He  had  not  gone  out  of  his  way 
to  seek  it.  It  was  the  passage  for  the  day  in  his 
regular  course  of  expounding  the  Epistle  to  the 
Philippians.  The  whole  service  was  most  sweet  and 
impressive.  At  the  end  he  felt  very  much  exhausted, 
and  did  not  give  a  closing  address,  as  usual,  but  said 
in  his  own  frank  way,  "  I  do  not  know  how  it  is  with 
you,  my  friends,  but  I  do  not  feel  able  for  more  to- 
day." He  simply  quoted  one  text.  Several  friends 
observed  the  pallor  of  his  countenance  when  he  sat 
down  in  the  pulpit.  He  was  not  able  to  go  back  to 
the  evening  service.  When  asking  his  daughter  to 
make  an  apology  to  the  minister  who  was  to  preach, 
he  added,  "But  tell  him  not  to  make  the  people 
anxious  by  praying  for  me  as  if  I  were  ill ;  I  am 
only  wearied." 

On  the  following  Tuesday  he  went  early  to  Stir- 
ling to  attend  a  religious  convention,  where  he  spoke 
a  little,  according  to  promise.  At  twelve  he  left  for 
Glasgow,  to  be  present  at  the  funeral  of  a  near  rela- 
tive. He  was  unexpectedly  called  to  preside,  after 
hurriedly  arriving  from  the  train,  when  the  company 
were  all  assembled.  Many  gentlemen  spoke  after- 
wards of  that  service.     The  burial  was  in  the  Old 


486  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  xii. 

High  Church  burying-ground,  where  the  remains  of 
his  college  friend,  Halley,  lay.  He  went  and  gazed 
upon  the  spot  before  leaving.  He  proceeded  the 
length  of  Perth  that  night  on  his  way  to  Aberdeen. 
Next  forenoon  the  train  for  Aberdeen  ran  into  a 
goods  train  at  Guthrie  Junction.  While  waiting  till 
the  debris  was  cleared  away,  he  wrote  on  a  post-card 
to  his  wife — "  There  is  deep,  sweet  soothing  that 
comes  over  your  whole  soul  when  you  have  felt  the 
shock  of  a  collision,  and  observed  that  the  two  or 
three  throbs  are  past  and  all  still,  and  you  know  that 
you  are  alive  and  unharmed ;  all  increased  when  you 
look  along  the  train  and  see  the  passengers  pouring 
out  at  every  door  like  doves  from  their  windows,  all 
frightened  a  bit,  but  none  hurt.  I  was  simply  pitched 
into  the  gentleman  opposite  me.  The  sensation, 
after  all  we  have  read,  is  a  solemn  one."  Then 
after  describing  the  scene  of  the  broken  engine 
and  trucks,  he  adds,  "I  experience  only  a  slight, 
not  unpleasant,  feebleness  in  the  limbs,  such  as 
supervenes  on  sudden  emotion ;  but  great  tran- 
quility of  mind.  We  often  pass  near  a  great  danger 
and  don't  know  that  it  was  near,  but  when,  as  in 
this  case,  we  graze  it  sensibly,  and  yet  pass  clear, 
there  is  great  gladness,  and  I  think  I  experience 
something  of  filial  gratitude." 

He  spoke  at  an  afternoon  meeting  immediately  on 
arriving  at  Aberdeen.  Afterwards,  in  the  evening,  to 
young  men.  Again  next  forenoon  ;  and  at  four  o'clock 
started  on  his  return  journey  to   Edinburgh,  where 


chap.  xii.  ABERDEEN  CONFERENCE.  487 

he  arrived  late  at  night.     The  following  letter  is  to 
the  friend  with  whom  he  lived  while  in  Aberdeen  : — 


To  Mrs.  J.  B.  M'Combie. 

"8  Merchiston  Avenue,  1st  May  1875. 

"  Dear  Mks.  M'Combie, — A  fine  journey  on  Thurs- 
day. Arrived  at  10.25,  not  very  much  fatigued.  I 
fear  I  was  not  a  very  good  bairn.  I  am  conscious 
that  from  my  infancy  upwards,  when  anything  is  the 
matter  with  me,  my  tendency  is  to  make  too  much 
of  it,  and  bother  people  sympathising  with  me.  I 
shall  trust,  however,  that  you  and  your  good  husband 
don't  grudge  any  occasion  of  giving  out  sympathy. 
I  have  only  now  the  London  engagement  before  me. 
We  expect  to  travel  on  Monday  night.  After  that, 
if  I  am  brought  through  in  life  and  safety,  I  have 
the  delicious  prospect  of  ten  days'  rest.  All  well  at 
home  here. — Yours,  W.  ARNOT." 

On  the  following  Sabbath  he  finished  his  course  of 
lectures  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Philippians,  a  series 
which  will  be  ever  memorable  to  many  who  profited 
by  them. 

On  Monday,  3d  of  May,  he  went  to  London  as  a 
deputy  from  the  Free  Church  to  the  Synod  of  the 
English  Presbyterian  Church.  He  spent  a  week 
there.  He  wrote  home  that  he  had  not  felt  able  to 
do    much.      Nevertheless,   he    spoke    twice   at   the 


4S8  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  xn. 

Synod,  twice  at  Mr.  Moody's  meetings  in  the  Opera 
House,  and  preached  on  Sunday  in  the  forenoon  at 
Hampstead,  and  in  the  evening  at  Regent  Square. 
Those  who  heard  him  were  not  aware  how  much  he 
was  suffering  from  weariness. 

He  came  home  on  the  10th,  busied  himself  as  well 
as  he  could,  finishing  up  his  work  that  he  might  go 
to  the  country  on  the  20th.  On  the  16th,  the  last 
Sabbath  that  he  preached,  his  text  in  the  forenoon 
was,  "  We  all  with  open  face  beholding  as  in  a  glass 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same 
image,  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  spirit  of 
the  Lord."  His  family  had  tried  to  persuade  him  to 
preach  only  once,  but  he  would  not  consent,  as  he 
had  been  absent  from  his  own  flock  on  the  previous 
Sabbath  in  London,  and  had  the  prospect  of  being 
away  for  the  two  following  ones.  He  spoke  in  the 
afternoon,  shortly  and  simply,  on  the  wise  men  from 
the  east  being  guided  by  the  star  to  Bethlehem. 
On  Monday  he  finished  the  preparation  of  the  June 
number  of  the  Family  Treasury. 

On  Tuesday  he  wrote  a  short  article  for  an  Ameri- 
can publication,  The  Illustrated  Christian  Weekly,  and 
attended  the  noon  prayer  meeting  in  the  Assembly 
Hall,  when  he  opened  his  mouth  in  public  for  the 
last  time.  Taking  his  text,  as  he  so  often  did,  from 
nature,  he  told  how  that  morning,  on  going  into  his 
vinery,  he  observed  a  branch  drooping.  On  examin- 
ing it  to  discover  the  cause,  he  found  that  it  was  a 
tie  which  he  had  himself  bound  round  it,  sometime 


chap.  xn.      ADDRESS  A  T  NOON  MEETING.  489 

before,  to  give  it  support.  The  branch  had  grown 
since  then,  and  the  tie  was  now  so  tight  that  it 
impeded  the  flow  of  the  sap.  He  took  out  his  knife 
and  severed  it  at  once.  He  then  spoke  of  ties 
around  our  souls  hindering  us  from  full  fruitfulness, 
and  of  the  means  by  which  the  great  Husbandman 
loosens  them.  "  Sometimes  He  takes  the  knife  and 
cuts  them  through ;  sometimes  He  sends  such  a 
rush  of  life  through  the  soul  that  it  bursts  every 
bond."  The  friend  who,  after  his  death,  reported 
the  substance  of  what  he  said,  added,  "  It  seemed  to 
me  as  if  his  own  soul  was  being  visited  with  such  a 
blessed  rush  of  life." 

Next  day  he  had  agreed  to  preside  at  the  meeting, 
but,  shortly  before  the  hour,  he  was  seized  with  a 
shivering  fit,  and  was  obliged  to  go  to  bed.  From 
that  time  his  strength  seemed  to  fail  more  rapidly. 
He  was  not  able,  as  he  intended,  to  leave  town  on 
the  opening  day  of  the  Assembly ;  but  was  able, 
with  his  wife,  to  go  as  far  as  Dunkeld  on  the  Friday. 
That  evening  and  next  forenoon  he  wandered 
among  the  beauties  of  that  lovely  spot  with  deep 
chastened  enjoyment.  The  river — the  beautiful  Tay 
— for  which  he  had  a  special  affection ;  the  majestic 
trees,  "  planted  by  the  rivers  of  water ;"  everything 
around  him  seemed  to  afford  intense  pleasure ; 
and,  as  was  his  wont  when  he  was  very  happy,  he 
let  his  thoughts  flow  out  in  extemporised  rhyme. 
On  Saturday  he  moved  on  to  Pitlochrie,  and  got 
comfortably  settled  in  lodgings.     That  evening  he 


490  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.        chap.  xii. 

found  his  way  to  the  river  side,  and,  sitting  on  a 
projecting  rock,  he  watched  the  rapid  flowing  stream 
with  delight.  It  was  the  last  walk  of  any  length 
that  he  was  able  for.  It  was  soon  evident  that  he 
was  not  gaining  but  losing  strength  day  by  day. 
He  wished  to  go  home,  and  it  was  only  at  the  urgent 
entreaty  of  his  wife  that  he  remained  for  a  few  days, 
in  order  to  give  the  change  of  air  a  fair  trial.  He 
had  one  drive  through  the  Pass  of  Killiecrankie  in  a 
low  phaeton.  To  the  driver  he  said,  "  Do  you  know 
what  has  brought  me  here  %  I  have  come  to  seek 
for  an  appetite.  We  have  plenty  of  good  things  in 
Edinburgh,  but  I  have  no  relish  for  them."  Then, 
in  his  own  happy  way,  he  applied  the  parable  to  our 
spiritual  condition,  "  We  have  a  full  supply  for  every 
want  in  our  precious  Saviour ;  it  is  the  spiritual 
hunger  that  we  need." 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  fourth  day,  he  made  his 
wife  telegraph  to  the  family  at  home  that  he  was 
coming  that  evening.  He  went  home,  we  believe 
now,  with  the  full  conviction  that  death  was  near. 
He  did  not  obtrude  his  own  feelings  on  those  nearest 
and  dearest  to  him ;  and,  happily,  they  did  not 
foresee  the  great  bereavement  that  was  so  rapidly 
approaching  them.  But  many  expressions  which 
fell  from  him,  and  which  they  remembered  and 
understood  afterwards,  showed  them  that  he  was 
steadily  and  calmly  expecting  his  departure.  This 
conviction  did  not  cast  any  gloom  over  his  inter- 
course with  his  family.     He  was  a  good  deal  in  his 


ckap.  xii  CLOSING  HOURS.  491 

own  room  for  the  last  week  on  account  of  weakness, 
but  the  glimpses  which  his  children  got  of  him  were 
very  pleasant.  Sitting  on  his  easy  chair,  which  his 
girls  had  taken  out  to  the  green  for  him,  he  looked 
round  his  garden,  his  flowers  and  shrubs,  all  so  familiar 
to  him,  and  his  children  among  them,  and  with  a  face 
of  indescribable  sweetness  he  would  say,  "  I  am  look- 
ing at  my  beauties."  Never  had  earth  seemed  so 
fair  to  him  in  the  fresh  green  of  early  summer ;  and 
expressions  of  admiration  often  burst  forth  from  his 
happy  heart.  The  last  day  of  his  life  he  remaiued  in 
bed  most  of  the  day,  taking  pains,  however,  to  say 
that  it  was  not  because  he  felt  worse,  but  because  he 
felt  so  useless  when  he  was  up.  In  the  evening  he 
rose  and  went  to  another  room  on  the  same  floor, 
where  he  sat  for  several  hoars.  He  was  bright  and 
cheerful,  but  he  told  one  of  his  daughters,  when  no 
one  else  was  in  the  room,  that  he  had  a  strange 
sensation  in  his  chest.  He  coughed  frequently,  and 
when  his  wife  asked  him  if  he  felt  any  pain  when  he 
coughed,  he  said,  "  No  ;  I  feel  nothing  but  weari- 
ness." On  going  to  bed,  he  remarked  to  his  wife 
that  he  felt  his  head  clearer  than  he  had  done 
for  a  fortnight.  Some  letters  arrived  by  the  late 
post ;  they  were  read  to  him  after  he  had  lain  down. 
One  was  from  a  daughter  at  school,  and  he  laughed 
heartily  at  some  girlish  fun  described  in  it.  Another 
was  from  the  Convener  of  the  CoDtinental  Commit- 
tee, asking  him  to  go  to  Rome  for  the  winter.  His 
wife  and  daughters  were  delighted  with   this   pro- 


492  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT.         chap.  xii. 

posal,  knowing  his  long-cherished  desire  to  visit 
Rome,  and  thinking  that  the  rest  and  change  would 
recruit  his  strength.  When  he  was  asked  his 
opinion,  he  smiled,  and  said,  "  I  feel  like  the  laddie 
who  was  offered  jelly  when  he  was  too  sick  to  take 
it,  and  said,  '  You  never  give  me  good  things,  but 
when  I  canna  tak  them.' "  He  never  referred  to  the 
subject  again. 

He  awoke  about  three  in  the  morning  in  profuse 
perspiration.  After  he  was  changed,  he  said  he 
thought  it  had  done  him  good,  he  felt  so  comfort- 
able ;  and  noticing  the  warbling  of  the  birds,  he 
said,  "  These  sweet  birds,  they  are  singing  for  me." 
A  little  afterwards  his  wife,  hearing  him  speaking, 
and  in  the  half  unconsciousness  of  sleep,  fearing 
that  he  had  been  asking  for  something  that  she 
had  not  heard,  asked  if  he  wished  anything;  he 
answered,  "  No,  dear ;  I  was  not  speaking  to  you." 

In  less  than  two  hours  she  was  awakened  again 
by  the  sound  of  coughing,  and  noticing  that  he  was 
stretching  for  a  basin,  she  ran  to  his  side.  It  was 
blood  that  was  flowing  from  his  mouth.  She  had 
only  time  to  summon  two  dear  girls  from  the  next 
room.  He  recognised  them  by  a  slight  inclination 
of  his  head,  but  was  not  able  to  speak.  He  sank 
back  on  his  pillow,  as  if  in  a  swoon,  and  without  a 
sigh,  without  a  quiver,  the  spirit  escaped  away  from 
its  tabernacle  of  clay. 

So  ended  a  lovely  beneficent  life;  and  even  in 
their  deepest  grief  his  dearest  ones  could  not  but 


chap.  xn.  FUNERAL.  493 

acknowledge  that  it  was  a  fitting  and  gracious 
manner  of  taking  home  a  dear  servant,  whose  ten- 
der sensitive  nature  shrank  from  the  pains  of 
dissolution. 

He  was  called  away  precisely  at  the  end  of  that 
fortnight  to  which  he  had  been  so  fondly  looking 
for  repose  and  refreshment.  The  Lord  granted  him 
this  little  period  of  repose  after  a  busy,  active  life ; 
but  He  used  it,  not  for  refreshing  the  frail  body 
for  more  work  here  below,  but  for  refreshing  and 
preparing  the  immortal  spirit  for  entering  the  higher 
sphere  of  service  and  everlasting  rest. 

One  of  his  favourite  texts  was,  "  Whoso  is  wise, 
and  will  observe  these  tilings,  even  they  shall  under- 
stand the  loving-kindness  of  the  Lord."  The  habit 
of  "  observing  these  things "  sweetened  his  life  on 
earth,  and  now  he  is  praising  his  Heavenly  Father 
above  for  all  the  way  by  which  He  led  him  through 
the  wilderness,  to  the  very  last  step. 

A  few  days  later  his  remains  were  laid  in  the 
Grange  Cemetery,  beside  those  of  his  eldest  sister 
and  his  infant  child.  A  large  company  of  Christian 
friends  accompanied  them  to  their  resting  place, 
including  many  members  of  his  congregation,  who 
hod  assembled  in  Morningside  Free  Church.  The 
spot  where  he  lies  is  now  marked  by  a  monument, 
erected  jointly  by  the  two  congregations  among 
whom  he  lived  and  laboured  for  so  many 
years.     It  bears  the  following  inscription  : — 


494  MEMOIR  OF  REV.   W.  ARNOT. 

WILLIAM    ARNOT, 

Born  at  Scone,  6th  November  1808 ; 

Died  at  Edinburgh,  3d  June  1875. 


"  He  walked  with  God, 
and  he  was  not,  for  God  took  him. 


And  on  the  pedestal : — 

THIS  STONE  IS  ERECTED 

BY     MEMBERS     OF 

Eree  St.  Peter's,  Glasgow  ;  and  of  the  Free  High  Church, 
Edinburgh. 

In  Affectionate  Remembrance. 

Funeral  sermons  were  preached  on  the  following 
Sabbath,  in  Edinburgh  by  the  Rev.  Principal  Rainy, 
and  Rev.  Dr.  Blaikie ;  and  in  St.  Peter's,  Glasgow, 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Macmillan,  now  minister  of  the 
congregation,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Main,  of  Free  St. 
Mary's,  Edinburgh. 

We  cannot  do  better  than  close,  as  we  began, 
with  a  passage  from  his  own  Life  of  Hamilton, 
which  contains  many  things  which  might  with 
equal  truth  be  written  of  himself. 

"  All  is  not  lost  to  the  world  when  a  good  man 
dies :  his  character  remains  behind  to  enrich  the 
community,  as  certainly  as  the  rich  man's  wealth 
remains  behind  to  increase  the  estate  of  his  heir. 
We  watch  with  expectant  interest  the  swelling  of 


chap.  xii.     THE  DEATH  OF  THE  RIGHTEOUS.        495 

a  rosebud  in  spring ;  we  luxuriate  in  the  possession 
of  the  full  blown  flower  while  it  lasts,  and  we 
sigh  in  sadness  when  its  glory  departs.  But,  moved 
by  a  prophetic  instinct,  we  gravely  gather  the  shed 
leaves  from  the  ground,  and  deposit  them  in  a  place 
of  safety ;  and  soon  we  make  the  glad  discovery 
that  in  these  leaves,  even  when  withered,  we  retain 
for  enjoyment  the  fragrance  of  the  rose  in  the  dull 
winter  days  that  follow,  when  we  can  no  longer 
look  upon  the  living  flower,  fresh  and  dewy  on  its 
living  stem. 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX. 


Extracts  from  Sermons  preached  in  the  Free  High 
Church,  Edinburgh,  on  occasion  of  the  Death  of 
the  Rev.  WILLIAM  ARNOT,  Minister  of  the  Con- 
gregation. 

I. — Sermon  by  Rev.  Principal  Rainy,  D.D. 

"  For  all  flesh  is  as  grass,  and  all  the  glory  of  man  as  the  flower  of 
grass.  The  grass  withereth,  and  the  flower  thereof  falleth  away  :  But 
the  word  of  the  Lord  endureth  for  ever.  And  this  is  the  word  which 
by  the  gospel  is  preached  unto  yuu." — 1  Peteb  i.  24,  25. 

You  can  all  imagine  how  your  late  pastor  would 
have  handled  a  theme  like  that  on  which  we 
have  been  dwelling.  He  would  have  set  the 
truth  in  the  heart  of  a  hundred  suggestions  of 
natural  beauty.  He  would  have  made  the  text 
sparkle  with  fresh  light  on  all  its  sides,  and 
rendered  it  fragrant  with  a  thousand  graceful 
and  touching  associations.  But  we  shall  hear 
him  so  descant  no  more.  He  is  himself  become 
the  illustration  of  that  which  he  could  so  well 
illustrate.  The  flower  has  faded  away.  The 
grace  of  the   fashion    of  it   is  perished.      But   the 

499 


500  APPENDIX. 


Word  of  the  Lord  endures.  It  endures  for  us. 
It  endures  also,  as  our  sure  hope  is  in  him  who 
believed  and  loved  it,  and  lived  in  the  power  of 
it,  and  preached  it  from  a  full  heart.  The  per- 
petuity and  victory  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord  has 
place,  we  doubt  not,  in  our  departed  friend.  And 
though  the  darkness  and  disgrace  of  the  grave 
has  closed  over  his  remains,  according  to  the 
common  case  of  men  (in  which  Christ  also 
shared),  yet  we  rejoice  to  think  that  he  is  with 
Christ,  and  that  he  shall  stand  in  his  lot  at  the 
end  of  the  days. 

In  thinking  of  his  peculiar  gifts  and  his  special 
influence,  one  reverts,  perhaps,  first  of  all,  to  his 
love  of  nature,  his  interest  in  God's  works,  as 
such,  whether  men  or  things,  and  his  delight  in 
all  their  aspects.  This  he  had  in  common  with 
many;  but  he  had  more.  He  not  only  had  the 
sense  alive  to  the  beauty  of  order  and  creation, 
but  the  poetic  instinct  to  divide  its  pregnancy, 
as  mirroring  the  truths  and  lessons  that  environ 
the  highest  relations  of  man ;  and  he  had  the 
gift  of  uttering  what  he  saw  in  apt  and  glowing 
words,  that  made  his  hearers  partakers  in  his 
own  vision.  Which  of  you  does  not  recall  this 
in  a  thousand  instances'?  The  text  itself  reminds 
you  how  much  he  saw  in  plants — what  lessons 
of  life  and  death,  of  growth  and  decay,  of  nurture, 
of  grafting,  of  fruitfulness.  The  eloquent  stars 
spoke    new     lessons    to     you    through     his    inter- 


APPENDIX.  501 


pretation.  The  sea  suggested  to  you  how  the 
uuseen  celestial  attractions  persuade  the  tides  to 
spread  gladly  over  the  unseemly  places  of  the 
desert  shore.  The  clouds  taught  you  how  that 
which  lay  once  in  the  most  sunken  and  polluted 
places,  base  and  low,  is  raised  by  sunny  influences 
into  light  and  glory,  and  heaven.  No  quarter  to 
which  you  turn  but  offers  monitors  and  exemplars 
which  were  made  vocal  for  you  by  him  whose 
voice  is  now  silenced.  He  brought  this  gift  to 
almost  wholly  bear  on  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel, 
either  from  the  pulpit  or  through  the  press.  On 
that  Gospel  his  own  hopes  were  built,  and  to  its 
ministry,  in  early  life,  at  a  time  of  great  revival 
of  religion  in  Scotland,  he  had  dedicated  himself. 
Shall  it  be  held  unnecessary  to  dwell  here  on 
the  importance  of  the  gain  which  accrues  to 
preaching,  when  remarkable  imaginative  and 
illustrative  powers  are  wisely  applied  in  the 
service  %  To  some  it  may  be  needless.  But 
others  look  on  this  faculty  as  only  adding  a 
pleasant  ornament  of  an  external  kind,  fitted 
at  best  to  attract  those  who  are  not  yet  suscep- 
tible of  more  spiritual  attraction.  If  any  think 
so,  their  mistake  is  of  the  greatest.  There  is  no 
higher  kind  of  ministry  than  that  in  which  sound 
and  wise  thoughts,  and  living  Scriptural'experience, 
flow  naturally  in  moulds  supplied  by  an  imagina- 
tion that  is  both  just  and  glowing.  Truth  surprises 
the    hearer   with    fresh    glimpses    of   its    meaning 


502  APPENDIX. 


and  new  suggestions  of  its  application — its  sense 
is  realised,  and  its  grasp  felt  through  avenues  of 
the  mind  unassailed  before;  and  you  find  the 
Gospel  looking  out  on  you  from  objects  and 
from  influences  that  had  been  before  insignificant, 
if  not  secular  and  pagan,  in  their  associations. 
All  the  more  is  this  to  be  said,  because  one  must 
freely  confess  the  inefficiency  of  mere  artificial 
adornments,  and  the  objectionableness  of  them 
when  the  parade  of  eloquence  or  ingenuity  becomes 
the  chief  object  in  view. 

When  I  commemorate  this  power  of  his,  I  do 
not  forget  others,  of  themselves  sufficient  to  have 
made  him  an  eminent  and  influential  man.  As  you 
might  expect  of  one  who  was  from  the  first  a  suc- 
cessful student,  he  brought  to  the  service  excellent 
acquirements  of  every  kind ;  he  brought  also  a 
vigorous  understanding,  and  a  most  attractive 
character.  With  all,  there  was  a  certain  indescrib- 
able originality,  in  virtue  of  which  whatever  he 
said  and  did  was  his  own,  and  not  another  man's. 
But  that  to  which  he  brought  these  gifts  was  the 
Gospel  of  Christ.  He  did  not  veil  the  plain 
realities  of  that  Gospel  in  gesthetic  or  in  philo- 
sophic vapour.  His  statements  of  it  were  ever 
clear,  simple,  and  consistent,  and  his  pleading  for 
it  direct  and  earnest.  The  ruin  by  the  Fall,  the 
redemption  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  the  regener- 
ation by  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  simplicity  of  faith, 
and  the  instant    bestowment  of  blessing    on    faith, 


APPENDIX.  503 


were  prominent  topics  unreservedly  expounded. 
And  surely  the  realisation  of  our  blessed  Lord's 
Person  as  the  fountain  of  blessing  had  a  large 
place  in  his  mind.  The  touch  of  the  trembling 
sinner's  faith  at  the  hem  of  the  garment  here  on 
earth,  felt  and  responded  to  by  the  living  Lord 
in  heaven,  was  a  thought  of  which  he  was  never 
weary.  If  I  should  forget  to  say  how  aptly 
he  brought  out  Christian  duty  and  Christian 
privilege,  his  published  works  would  bear  wit- 
ness in  my  room. 

His  was  a  cheerful  religion,  and  his  was  hopeful 
preaching.  He  did  not  deny,  he  did  not  disguise, 
the  terrors  of  the  Lord.  He  did  not  shut  his 
eyes  to  the  depths  of  obstinacy  and  evil  in  human 
hearts ;  but  he  believed  in  glad  tidings  which 
are  to  all  people.  His  mind  was  drawn  especi- 
ally to  cheering  and  hopeful  views,  and  what  is 
encouraging  in  the  Gospel  was  his  especial 
theme.  Perhaps  it  was  from  this,  along  with  the 
imaginative  power  of  his  preaching,  that  he  was 
so  useful  to  young  men,  as  from  the  beginning 
of  his  Glasgow  ministry  he  unquestionably  was. 
And  his  influence  among  them  was  reinforced  by 
the  manliness  and  healthfulness  of  his  own  char- 
acter— genial  and  fearless,  and,  as  commonly 
happens  with  truly  original  men,  retaining  to  the 
last  an  unmistakable  element  of  the  childlike. 
This  formed  much  of  the  strength  of  the  position 
from   which    he   worked.       It   constituted    much   of 


504  APPENDIX. 


the  influence  that  was  felt  in  connection  with 
the  very  recollection  of  his  face  or  name.  If  it  be 
hard  to  say  how  much  power  accrued  to  his 
preaching  from  the  peculiar  genius  which  inspired 
it,  it  is  hard  to  reckon  how  much  was  added  to 
his  influence  by  the  perception  diffused,  where- 
ever  he  came,  of  a  manly  and  cheerful  religious 
life.  With  this,  too,  I  may  connect  the  sense 
he  had  of  God's  goodness  to  him  in  providence, 
all  along  the  course  of  his  history.  No  one 
could  hear  him,  or  read  his  writings  much,  with- 
out perceiving  it.  There  are  some  whom  God 
prepares  for  usefulness  by  scathing  trials  and 
by  great  inward  convulsions,  that  leave  the  spirit 
tremulous  and  quivering  ever  after.  But  there  are 
some  whom  He  prepares  for  use  by  what  I  may 
call  much  considerate  indulgence.  He  teaches 
them,  indeed,  their  sin  and  danger,  awakes  them 
to  the  true  perception  of  human  need,  and  of  the 
pity  that  saves.  He  chastens  them  with  faithful 
care,  teaching  them  to  sympathise  with  human 
sorrow,  and  to  grieve  for  human  sin.  Yet,  on 
the  whole,  He  makes  the  course  of  their  life  re- 
markable for  mercies  granted  and  deliverances 
vouchsafed.  It  is  not  always  thus  that  God  makes 
sunny  Christians  ;  some  of  the  brightest  come 
out  of  strange  afflictions.  But  some  have  their 
character  and  lot  tempered  in  the  way  that  I 
describe.  And  it  is  to  the  effect  of  sending 
through    their   lives    the    strain    of  a   thanksgiving 


APPENDIX.  505 


psalm,  making  their  existence,  as  they  go  to  and 
fro,  a  testimony  that  the  sun  is  shining.  I  sup- 
pose our  departed  friend  had,  in  the  measure  he 
required,  seasons  of  struggle,  trial,  pain.  But  I 
rather  think  he  would  have  ranked  himself,  on  the 
whole,  among  those  whom  goodness  and  mercy 
had  followed  in  a  notable  degree.  And  where  he 
came,  men  commonly  felt  that  here  was  one  who 
served  the  Lord  with  gladness  and  joyfulness  of 
heart. 

Genial  as  he  was,  he  was  a  man  of  thoroughly 
independent  character,  resolute  in  his  convictions, 
and  outspoken  in  the  utterance  of  them.  What 
seemed  to  him  wrong  he  was  prompt  to  oppose ; 
and  of  all  wrongs,  I  rather  think  wrongs  sanctioned 
by  conventional  notions,  and  which  men  there- 
fore passed  unnoticed,  generally  roused  him  most. 
He  never  was  afraid  to  take  up  a  side  because  it 
was  unpopular,  or  because  it  had  become  involved 
in  odium  through  bitter  discussions.  At  the  same 
time,  in  such  a  case,  he  brought  into  the  dis- 
cussion his  own  cordial  and  cheerful  spirit,  and 
did  much  to  assuage  bitterness,  by  showing  none 
himself.  But  though  never  bitter,  he  could  add 
great  force  to  the  clearing  of  truth  by  debate. 
Claptrap  of  all  kinds  was  in  danger  from  him. 
And  when  voluble  and  pretentious  persons  took 
very  high  ground,  it  was  something  to  see  how 
with  equal  ease  and  dexterity  he  could  pierce  the 
windbag,  and  exhibit  the  collapse  that  followed. 


506  APPENDIX. 


It  has  been  a  great  privilege  to  enjoy  such 
a  ministry  as  his — public  and  private,  reinforced 
as  it  has  been  all  along  by  the  clear  sincerity  and 
unaffected  earnestness  of  the  man.  How  distinctly 
the  type  of  it  stands  out,  to  the  mind's  eye,  as 
bearing  a  stamp  all  his  own!  The  place  we  mourn 
to-day,  as  made  vacant  by  his  death,  was  his 
own  place,  which  he  had  made  for  himself,  and 
which  no  other  will  fill.  How  long  and  cordially 
will  his  work  and  he  be  remembered !  How  dis- 
tinctly one  foresees,  long  years  after  this,  in  one 
company  and  another,  the  loving  relaxation  of  the 
features,  and  the  kindly  tones  of  the  voice,  when 
men  recall  the  name  and  speak  of  the  ministry  of 
William  Arnot  !  Well,  it  yields  us  the  old  lesson 
in  a  new  and  forcible  instance.  Unless  his  work 
was  wrought  in  God,  how  vain  it  had  all  been. 
Unless  his  hope  stood  fast  in  Christ,  how  vain  it 
had  been  to  rehearse  his  qualities  now  Be  ye 
also  ready.  Remember  those  who  have  been 
over  you, .  who  have  spoken  to  you  the  Word  of 
the  Lord,  whose  faith  follow.  Let  the  vessel  of 
your  life  fill  continually  with  that  Word  of  the 
Lord, — believed,  lived,  done.  Let  that  be  the 
meaning  of  your  life — that  its  explanation.  For 
the  grass  withereth,  and  the  flower  fadeth;  but 
the  Word  of  the  Lord  endureth  for  ever. 


APPENDIX.  507 


II. — Sermon  by  Rev.  Professor  Blaikie,  D.D. 

"  It  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be." — 1  John  iii.  2. 

What  Christian  heart  does  not  know  the  blessed- 
ness of  the  consolation,  when  it  can  in  this 
way  follow  the  departed  one  to  glory  ?  If  ever 
it  seems  a  hard  thing  in  God  to  bereave  us  of 
a  loved  one,  is  it  not  reassuring  to  think  that 
He  has  given  to  him  His  highest  gift,  and  that 
this,  and  not  the  loss  to  us,  is  what  furnishes  the 
true  measure  and  picture  of  His  heart1?  Is  it  not 
blessed  to  have  a  new  link  formed  between  us 
and  heaven,  drawing  our  hearts  sweetly  upward, 
and  encouraging  us  to  think  of  the  time,  not  far 
off,  when,  by  the  grace  of  the  Saviour,  we  too 
shall  be  there  ?  Does  not  this  give  even  to  the 
most  terrible  bereavements  a  tender,  sacred  char- 
acter, and  enable  the  most  attached  friends  to 
praise  God  ultimately  for  what  seemed  at  the 
time  an  unsupportable  agony?  And  does  not  God 
Himself  often  come  nearer  to  the  bereaved  heart, 
and  in  a  larger  measure  of  His  own  grace  and  love, 
bring  the  only  possible  compensation  for  the  loss? 
And  are  these  not  often  times  when  His  grace 
enters  hearts  that  have  hitherto  refused  it,  and 
gives  to  them  the  peace  that  passeth  all.  under- 
standing, and  the  joy  which  is  unspeakable  and 
full  of  glory? 


508  APPENDIX. 


If  tins  be  the  design  of  family  bereavements, 
must  it  not  also  be  the  design  of  congregational 
bereavements,  such  as  that  under  which  you  are 
met  here  this  day?  When  an  honoured  and  be- 
loved pastor  is  suddenly  removed,  the  first  feeling 
is  the  feeling  of  anguish.  But  by-and-by  there 
comes  the  thought  that  he  has  entered  on  his 
reward.  You  seem  to  hear  the  gracious  voice 
saying,    "  Well    done,    good    and   faithful   servant." 


You  have  the  feeling — How  well  it  was  for  him 
that  lie  was  guided  to  such  a  life — how  blessed 
for  him  to  have  served  his  Master  as  he  did !  Have 
you  not  also  the  feeling — Would  that  when  my 
time  comes,  I  might  leave  behind  me  a  life  of 
similar  service — unlike,  it  may  be,  in  form,  but 
like  in  the  spirit  by  which  it  was  animated !  Not 
that  his  life,  or  your  life,  or  any  human  life,  can 
ever  be  worthy  of  heaven ;  never  can  we  or  our 
service  be  accepted  save  through  the  merit  of  our 
Saviour ;  it  is  in  pure  grace  that  He  is  pleased  to 
reward  the  service  which,  by  dwelling  in  us,  He 
enables  us  to  perform.  What,  my  friends,  is  the 
impression  on  your  hearts  this  day,  when  you 
look  back  on  these  twelve  years  of  ministry  in 
this  place?  Is  it  not  that  of  faithful,  noble  work, 
well  fitted  to  honour  God  and  to  benefit  you, 
and  fitted  likewise  to  bring  a  reward  to  him? 
Do  you  not  feel  that  the  reward  which  he  has 
now  received,  gives  to  his  work  among  you  a  new 
character   of  worth   and   importance?      And   while 


APPENDIX.  '  509 


you  desire  more  than  ever  to  follow  the  course 
which  he  urged  upon  you,  would  you  not  fain, 
also,  be  helpers  in  the  same  work?  Will  you  not 
now  come  forward  to  the  same  service  ?  Do  you 
not  covet  the  same  reward? 

I  do  not  wish  to  take  up  your  time  with 
drawing  a  portrait  already  engraved  upon  your 
hearts,  or  describing  a  ministry  which  none  -can 
know  or  appreciate  so  well  as  yourselves.  For 
who  can  know  so  well  as  you  the  fulness  of  that 
large  heart  which  beamed  through  the  open  and 
honest  face,  as  if  there  were  no  limit  to  the  tender- 
ness which  it  would  pour  out  upon  you?  Who 
can  have  witnessed  so  often,  or  with  such  profit 
as  you,  the  flashings  of  that  genius  which  found 
so  many  resemblances  between  things  outwarcly 
unlike  yet  really  analogous  ?  Who  can  have  sucn 
store  as  you  of  the  instructive  analogies  he  was 
ever  finding  between  the  works  and  the  Word  of 
God — the  fresh  light  which  he  was  ever  pouring 
on  the  Bible  from  the  handiwork  of  Him  who  is 
Lord  alike  of  nature  and  of  grace  ?  Who  can 
know  so  well  his  pastoral  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  his  flock,  his  sympathy  alike  with  the  old  who 
had  run  the  race,  and  with  the  young  who  were 
beginning  it  ?  Or  who  can  have  had  such  constant 
proof  of  his  love  and  admiration  and  adoration  for 
the  Saviour,  whose  grace  was  so  precious  to  him 
self,  and  was  so  constantly  presented  by  him  to 
others  ? 


510  APPENDIX. 


On  all  this  I  need  not  further  dwell.  Nor  is 
there  much  need  of  my  making  any  addition  to 
what  has  been  said  by  others  respecting  his  place 
in  the  Church,  and  the  esteem  in  which  he  was 
everywhere  held.  It  fell  to  my  lot  to  accompany 
him  on  one  of  his  tours  to  America,  and  there  I  had 
abundant  opportunity  to  observe  the  remarkable 
impression  which  his  words  and  his  character  made 
on  all.  I  have  heard  him  address  many  large 
assemblies,  usually  laying  hold  of  them  by  his  very 
first  words,  now  bringing  the  smile  to  their  faces 
by  his  kindly  humour,  now  touching  the  springs  of 
deep  and  tender  feeling;  now  giving  brightness  to 
familiar  truth  by  happy  illustrations,  and  always 
keeping  in  sight  of  the  great  truths  with  which 
the  ambassador  of  Christ  is  charged.  One  remin- 
iscence of  that  journey  I  may  be  allowed  to  recall. 
On  crossing  the  Atlantic  on  the  outward  voyage 
our  ship  one  evening  encountered  a  thunder-storm 
of  more  than  ordinary  intensity.  Right  ahead  of 
us  was  the  thunder-cloud,  lurid  and  tempestuous, 
and  darkening  the  whole  heavens.  We  dashed 
right  into  it,  and  for  half  an  hour  were  encom- 
passed with  wind  and  rain,  thunder  and  lightning. 
When  we  emerged  on  the  other  side,  the  setting 
sun  was  shining  in  splendour;  and  as  we  looked 
back  on  the  receding  cloud,  we  saw  it  all  bright  and 
glorious,  while  in  front  of  us  the  sun  made  a  path 
of  gold  upon  the  waters,  like  a  highway  from  earth 
to  heaven.     On  the  following  Sunday,  when   land 


APPENDIX.  511 


was  just  coming  in  sight,  and  our  voyage  about  to 
end,  we  had  a  simple  service,  and  this  incident 
became  to  our  friend  the  text  of  some  touching 
thoughts.  There  were  present  passengers  from  the 
saloon,  emigrants  from  the  steerage,  and  sailors  of 
the  crew.  We  had  been  living  for  twelve  days  as 
a  family,  he  said,  and  now  we  were  about  to 
separate,  never  to  meet  again  in  this  world.  But 
if  we  were  only  in  Christ,  how  different  would  life 
be  to  us,  even  with  all  its  storms  and  sorrows  I  It 
might  sometimes  look  dark  and  terrible,  like  that 
thunder-cloud  through  which  we  had  lately  passed, 
but  when  it  lay  behind  us,  we  should  see  it  bright 
with  glory,  while  the  same  sun  that  brightened  it 
made  a  golden  way  for  us  right  to  the  door  of  our 
Father's  house.  The  words  were  spoken  tenderly, 
and  even  the  brawny  hand  of  the  sailor  was  raised 
to  brush  away  the  tear. 

And  now,  along  the  golden  path,  and  through 
the  golden  gate,  he  himself  has  passed  to  his 
Father's  house.  And  to  you  his  death  just  deepens 
the  lessons  and  exhortations  of  his  life — "  Choose  the 
path  to  glory ;  see  how  it  stretches  from  your 
very  feet  upward  to  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  ;  lot 
your  citizenship  be  in  heaven ;  and  while  you  are 
on  earth,  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith 
ye  are  called." 


530  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK, 
November,  J  876. 


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By  Miss  Julia  A.  Mathews.     5  vols 5.50 

"Miss  Julia  A.  Mathews'  boys  are  as  live  and  wide-awake  as  any  one  could  wish, 
Into  mischief,  now  and  then,  like  the  majority  of  boys,  yet  frank  and  manly  withal,  and 
not  ashamed  to  '  own  up '  when  they  find  themselves  in  fault." — Hearth  and  Home. 

Coulyng  Castle ;  or,  a  Knight  of  the  Olden  Days. 

By  Agnes  Giberne.     lUmo 1.50 

By  the  same  author  : 

Aimee;  a  Tale  of  James  II....  1.50        The  Curate's  Home 1.25 

Day  Star ;  or,  Gospel  Stories...  1.25        Floss  Silverthorn 1.25 

The  Odd  One. 

By  Mrs.  A.  M.  Mitchell  Payne.     16mo 1.25 

By  the  same  author : 
Cash  Boy's  Trust 1.00        Rhoda's  Corner 1.25 

Fred  and  Jeanie :  How  they  learned  about  God. 

By  Jennie  M.  Lrinkwater.     lGmo 1.25 

By  the  same  author: 
Only  Ned 1.25        Not  Bread  Alone 1.25 


ROBERT  CARTER  &  BROTHERS   NEW  BOOKS. 


Brentford  Parsonage. 

By  the  author  of  "  Win  and  Wear."     16mo 1.25 

By  the  same  author : 

WHO  WON? 1  25 

MABEL  HAZARD'S  THOROUGHFARE 1.25 

DOORS  OUTWARD 1.25 

Win  and  Wear  Series.     6  vols.  7.50        Ledgeside  Series.    6  vols 7.50 

Green  Mountain  Stories.  5  vols  6.00        Butterfly's  Flights.     3  vols 2.25 

Imogen ;  a  Tale. 

By  Emily  Sarah  Holt 1.50 

By  the  same  author: 

Isoult  Barry.     16mo 1.50        Ashcliffe  Hall.    16mo 1.25 

Robin  Tremayne.     12mo 1.50        Verena.     12mo 1.50 

The  Well  in  the  Desert.    lGmo  1.25        White  Rose  of  Langley.    12mo  1.50 

Mind  and  Words  of  Jesus,  Faithful  Promiser, 
and  Morning  and  Night  Watches. 

By  J.  R.  Macduff,  D.D.     All  in  one  vol.     Red  Line  Edition. 

Handsomely  bound  in  cloth,  gilt 1.50 

By  the  same  author : 

Footsteps  of  St.  Paul 1.50         Hart  and  Water  Brooks 1.00 

Family  Prayers 1.25         Memories  of  Olivet 2.00 

Memories  of  Gennesaret 1.50         Noontide  at  Sychar —   1.50 

Memories  of  Bethany 1.00         Memories  of  Patmos 2.00 

Bow  in  the  Cloud 0.50        St.  Paul  in  Rome 1.25 

Grapes  of  Eschol 1.00        Tales  of  Warrior  Judges 1.00 

Sunsets  on  Hebrew  Mountains  1.50         Comfort  Ye,  Comfort  Ye 1.50 

Thoughts  of  God 0.50        The  Healing  Waters  of  Israel..  1.25 

Prophet  of  Fire 1.50        The  Gates  of  Prayer 1.00 

Altar  Inceuse 1.00        A  Golden  Sunset 0.35 

Shepherd  and  his  Flock 1.50        Clefts  of  the  Rock 1.50 

The  Pilgrim's  Progress. 

Twenty  full-page  pictures.      Handsomely  bound  in  cloth.      Gilt 
and  black,  4to 2.00 

"The  Carters  liavu  done  a  good  service  to  the  cause  of  juvenile  literature  in  pub- 
lishing the  'Pilgrim's  Progress'  in  a  style  more  attractive  for  boys  and  girls  than  any 
Other  udiuou  before  the  public." — Christian  Observer. 


SCOTCH   BOOKS 


SCOTTISH    AUTHORS. 


PUBLISHED   BY 

ROBERT   CARTER  AND   BROTHERS,  NEW  YORK. 


Arnot's  Church  in  the  House $2  50 

Belfeage's  Sacramental  Addresses 1  50 

Bonar's  Bible  Thoughts  and  Themes.     G  vols,  each     .  2  00 

Hymns  of  Faith  and  Hope.     3  vols.       ...  2  25 

Brown  (David)  on  the  Second  Advent 1  75 

(John)  on  First  Peter 3  50 

on  Discourses  and  Sayings  of  our  Lord    .  3  50 

on  Bomans 2  00 

(Charles)  The  Word  of  Life 1  50 

Caird's  (Kev.  John)  Sermons 1  50 

Candlish's  (Dr.  B.  S.)  Sermons 2  00 

Chalmers'  (Dr.  Thomas)  Sermons 3  00 

on  Bomans 2  50 

Dick  (John,  D.D.),  Lectures  on  Theology.     ....  3  00 

Duchess  of  Gordon's  Life 1  25 

Duncan's  Philosophy  of  the  Seasons 3  00 

Dykes  on  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.     3  vols.     ...  3  75 

Fairbairn's  Bevelation  of  Law 2  50 

Family  Worship  (Prayers  by  180  Scotch  Clergymen)     .  2  50 

Fraser's  (Donald)  Lectures  on  the  Bible.     2  vols.     .  4  00 
Guthrie's  (Dr.  Thomas)  Autobiography.     2  vols,  in  one  2  00 

Life  and  Works.     11  vols 15  00 

Haldane  on  Bomans 3  00 

Hamilton's  (James,  D.D.)  Select  Works.     4  vols.     .     .  5  00 

Hanna's  Life  of  Christ.     3  vols 4  50 

Hetherington's  History  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  .  2  50 

Hill's  Lectures  on  Divinity 3  00 

Howie's  Scots  Worthies  (Illustrated) 3  50 


Scotch    'Hooks   and  Scot/is/i  jiut/iors. 


Ker  (Eev.  John)  Day  Dawn  and  Eain 2  00 

Leighton's  Complete  Works 3  00 

McCheyne's  Works 3  00 

McCosh's  Divine  Government 2  50 

Typical  Forms 2  50 

— Intuitions  op  Mind 3  00 

Defence  of  Truth 3  00 

Christianity  and  Positivism 1  75 

Logic 1  50 

Scottish  Philosophy 4  00 

Macduff's  Works. 
Morning  and  Night  Watches    .  $0  50       Sunsets  on  tho  Hebrew  Moun- 
tains.    12nio $1  50 

The  Prophet  of  Fire.     12mo    .     1  50 

Shepherd  and  his  Flock.     12mo  1  50 

2  00 

1  50 

2  00 
1  25 
1  00 
1  50 
1  25 


Words  and  Mind  of  Jesus  . 
Footsteps  of  St.  Paul.  12mo 
Family  Prayers.  lGrno  .  . 
Memories  of  Gennesaret 
Memories  of  Bethany.  16mo 
Bow  in  the  Cloud.  18mo  . 
Story  of  Bethlehem.  16mo 
Hart  and  Water  Brooks  .    . 

Gates  of  Prayer 

Grapes  of  Eshcol.    16mo 


.    0 

50 

.   1 

50 

.     1  25 

.     1 

50 

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00 

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.     1 

00 

.    1 

00 

00 

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00 

Memories  of  Olivet.  12mo . 
Noontide  at  Syehar.  lGmo  . 
Memories  of  Patmos.  12mo 
St.  Paul  in  Rome.  16mo  . 
Tales  of  Warrior  Judges .  . 
Comfort  Ye,  Comfort  Ye .  . 
Healing  Waters 

Macleod  (Dr.  Norman)  Highland  Parish 1  25 

Miller's  (Hugh)  Works.     10  vols 15  00 

— — Life  by  Bayne.     2  vols 3  00 

Paterson  on  the  Shorter  Catechism 0  75 

Pollock's  Course  of  Time 1  25 

Keid  (John)  Voices  of  the  Soul 1  75 

Kutherford's  Letters    ...     • 2  50 

Scotia's  Bards,  Illustrated 4  50 

Wilson's  Lights  and  Shadows  of  Scottish  Life      .     .  1  00 

Young  (John)  The  Christ  of  History 1  25 


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